Ben Simmons and JJ Redick Have An Honest Conversation About His Shooting 

Jason Gallagher here. We took the word 'narrative' out of the title because we see a few comments saying we're implying it's a made up issue. We promise that's not the case. His shooting struggles and the lack of shooting were very real. We just wanted to have a discussion about the shooting itself, the dialogue around it (from fans and media) and how that impacted him. Narrative was the wrong word and that's on me. Hope this clears it up.

1. It's not a narrative, it's a fact 2. Ben we do recognize everything you do great 3. Just shoot the open shots in game because if you start making a couple, defenders gotta respect your jumper and then your teammates get more open (wild concept I know)

It's not that Ben can't shoot. It's that he plays like he's scared to shoot. Like he doesn't even want to go to the line

How is it a narrative if he LITERALLY DOESN'T SHOOT??? I'm sorry, what Ben is saying is BS. You're an NBA player that doesn't shoot the basketball at a decent level. People aren't asking you to be Steph Curry, just shoot the damn basketball!!! You've been in the league 4 years, and getting paid superstar level money. And you're saying it is what it is???? SHOOT THE BASKETBALL!

1:20 man that's where the conversation ended. The honest discussion wasn't 'ben can't shoot' but it's 'ben won't shoot.' there isn't a person alive who thinks Ben shouldn't give up a wide open shot if JJ has a better look...it's when teams intentionally double JJ and Joel because they know when Ben is wide open he won't even attempt to shoot

This is a masterclass in how to not be self aware. Dude has an explanation for everything 🤣

Talking about Ben's shooting is like talking about my Ferrari... I don't have one.

Its funny watching them act like the media and the fans created a false narrative that Ben doesnt shoot.The dude has shot like 2 3pt jumpers his entire career and then JJ had the audacity to bring up Giannis as an example.I hope Ben has people in his life that are willing to have a truely honest conversation with him not like the one he had with JJ

Giannis, Russ, they both struggle in the perimeter. But they keep themselves aggressive on the offensive end in other ways. It is obvious Ben has this huge mental block that affects his game overall and its really glaring on the offensive side. If you watched his games where he struggled offensively, it becomes a challenge for him to score even at the post.

4 Years in the NBA Is not narrative. It's sad that JJ say this.

I think what bothers people is that the basketball gods gave this man every tool to dominate the game except shooting and it looks like something he can develop. It hurts seeing potential wasted.

It's not a narrative. It's reality

The problem isn't centred around whether Ben can create shots or not. The problem is, when the ball is in his hands and it's his chance to shoot, the shooting just isn't there. This is a guy who can do everything other than shoot in a game where shooting is required to win. Amazing stuff, really.

a lot of great players in history couldn’t shoot jumpers or free throws, the problem is the fact that you don’t ever take any jumpers and seem to not want to attack defenders because you don’t wanna get fouled. the fact that you don’t shoot hurts the half court offense for your team in the playoffs, makes it hard to have you as a primary ball handler because the other team is just gonna sag off you and load up on another player. giannis airballing free throws and 3s sometimes is way more respectable than straight up being afraid of shooting them. every player has weaknesses

I’m shocked how much these guys kissed Ben Butt wow

Even Giannis who’s game is about running to the basket he still shoots those open threes once in a blue moon

JJ this interview was a L honestly you held his hand throughout the whole thing I get you don't want to get him mad and have him walk off but a true journalist asks the questions without being biased towards one side you shoulf have held him accountable for what he did and for what he doesn't do

This is pretty embarrassing for JJ. Just blatant unapologetic pandering. Ben literally says "we need to make them guard everyone," when BEN WAS THE GUY THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GUARD. This interview told us literally nothing we didn't know before.

“You dont want me to shoot but you want me to shoot” bro.. we wanted you to shoot. Smh this whole series a puff piece for ben.

Jj is walking on eggshells with this guy he wants a cookie for guarding the best player .

He wears a shooting sleeve! 🤣🤣🤣

"Narrative" is the catch phrase of the "new media"

Surprised a marshmallow company hasn’t hired Ben Simmons to be there spokesman.

How did you keep a straight face when he says the excuses about not shooting? 🤣😂

dude literally doesn't shoot though, why is that a narrative? scottie barnes MADE more threes in his rookie season than ben has ATTEMPTED in his entire CAREER, it's no narrative, just facts

Just a reminder that Boban Marjanovic has twice the amount of career 3 pointers made as ben Simmons

This is sad by JJ.

I don’t know if people remember. If you watch his college & summer league games, he was actually shooting & hitting the midrange jumpers. At some point the coaching staff had to tell him to get away from that because his game changed drastically

I didn’t know it was April 1st already?!!?

I just realized I've never heard this man talk until right now 🤣🤣

The issue with the optics is that it looks like Ben feels he doesn’t need to improve. Yes you do a lot on the court but great players try to expand and improve their game. Giannis who’s won multiple mvp’s, defensive player of the year and a title is trying to improve his shot and add to his game… but you’re saying you don’t need to…and you’re a point guard... Alright Ben

This is a FAILED PR attempt you drunk or high JJ??

Beta Ben

This man JJ had Ben come on here and JJ asked all the right questions ...

If he did so many other things great why were his teams so bad in the playoffs? Passing on wide open shots doesn't help your teammates, it makes their job harder bc nobody has to guard him. I could see if ppl were getting on him about his FG% but they are getting on him bc he WON'T EVEN TRY. 2-5 shots in a playoff game is BS & nobody should excuse it. Not attempting something is not a solution to possible failure!!!

So they talked a lot and said nothing...why didn't JJ just say Ben, why haven't you improved your shooting

A real player can shoot threes and get guys open three's

Love seeing Ben happy!

"Ben, Shoot it!" - Kyrie Irving during an actual basketball game.

Ben doesn’t even take open Layups. This guys always has excuses

I got in my head back in college about my shooting. I regret it completely looking back. Just let it fly bro. What’s the worst that could happen?

I couldn't shoot when I was his age either. Ben still has plenty of time to develop his "old man" game. Love and Freedom from Canada! Thank you Truckers!

This dude is all excuses and no accountability. It’s crazy… I can’t be the only one that sees this right? All he does is deflect. Does he not see his flaws?

I wouldn't care at this point....if he missed shoots. It's the FACT he doesn't even attempt them. If he attempted outside shots it would open up the court more. Most defenses if Ben is outside the paint guard 4 players. That makes it hard on teammates

Stop babying him, JJ. Give him the hard questions and don't explain it for him. Why does he play like he doesn't want to shoot? Does he think he works hard enough to improve his shooting? Is he really scared to shoot? Does he love the game enough to improve this weakness?

No one's asking Ben to shoot lights out but he practically doesn't attempt any shot past 6 feet. It's not that hard to develop a little floater or something at a decent clip. Having a respectable ability to make a shot past 6 feet would make creating shots for others much easier. It's been several seasons and there's been no noticeable progress. He's gotten a bit better defensively but that's about it. The issue is if he's striving to be good or is he striving to be great?

how ben simmons being calm and stubborn at the same time? Lol

The criticisms isn't that he passes too much. It's that he frequently passes when he has open layups

Him taking a sip of the wine when Jj is in Middle if asking has me crying

Ben had to drink to this take😂😂

There’s a difference between Giannis and Ben . Giannis actually works to get better at his craft and has shown improvement every year . With Simmons what you see is what you get this man has shown no improvement since he entered the league . Again showing ZERO accountability

This interview is bens PR run, not an honest conversation

Immediately after he passed up the open lay up, he locked Trae Young up and made him pick up his dribble on back to back plays... The media does this strange thing where some one dimensional players get overwhelming praise when they only effect the game in one way, while players who effect the game in multiple ways get overwhelming hate when they're deficient in one category

Correction JJ there is a perfect player.(MJ).He was exceptional at literally every aspect of the game

@1:29 yes Ben, shooting the ball is also in fact just a part of the game 😂

"Your 3 point creation for other players for 3s was the highest in the league for 3 years." But a few years ago is when teams REALLY started leaving players who can't shoot completely open if they were off ball (creating a 4 on 5 basically) - or if they had the ball, guarded them with a centre who would clog the paint (essentially, still, a 4 on 5). You can't run pnr or beat a centre with athleticism because they just stand at the ring and wait, while you limit your shooters because there are more defenders in the paint now permanently, leaving more players to guard the 3. That's when his offence got terrible. All he could do was sit in the dunker spot. He played best at centre. But embiid was always there with him which made him completely redundant. But Ben is legit the best perimeter defender this century. Easily. If he managed to get a floater game, or just play centre on offence vs small guards, similar to jokic... he could be a great piece. If he's interested in basketball that is. Remember when he said that "I don't wanna ball. I see myself more as a socialite/ fashion icon?" Maybe he just wants to scam contracts and be a personality. This is just PR for him, potentially.

What's wild to me about Ben is I know the NBA has shooting coaches and during his years in the league it sounds like he never got with these coaches. Better yet JJ if you love this man so much why not get with him about his jumper and help him develop a mid range

That sip of wine before it starts, god bless Ben for the stupid scrutiny

I like the way he sees it. Everybody criticizing but one thing but nobody ever stops to think. Not everybody is good at something. Everybody has holes in their game. His tends to be shooting

2:27😂😂😂😂😂😂 my Boy smiling like unboxing some Christmas Jordans

It’s wild watching JJ who’s known for primarily for shooting coddle this man like it’s not a fact that he doesn’t shoot. Like ask him why hasn’t he improved his shooting skill after all this time ???

Legend has it this Man hasn’t shot a 3 to this day

I always come back to see the pro Ben Simmons comments lol.

This is where if I was JJ I would push back. There’s a difference between not being good at shooting the ball and not shooting the ball. People keep allowing him to get away with saying he’s not good at it versus he just doesn’t shoot a ball. Great player, great defensive player but you can’t defend yourself against people who want you to shoot more with “but I guard the best player on the other team. We’ve been watching basketball for 35 years, sir. You have to give a better answer than that! Wish you the best, look forward to seeing you and your amazing talent on the floor again this year!

There’s no player less committed to being great than Ben simmons

What's crazy is that he used to have a jumper in his early years. All we want is him to ATTEMPT 1/2 threes a game or even open 2pointers at least

It's wild how much Ben refuses to improve. Every other star player from his draft class has improved their shooting from their rookie years, but Ben hasn't made any leap or even a bump of improvement. I understand his mental health plays a role into it too, if he needs help he should get it- but that doesn't mean he can just ignore simple critiques. It's not even a reach

He's gotta have Giannis's mentality towards three point shooting, 3-5 a game, if you airball a few don't let it phase you. He's 6'10 and doesn't have Joel down low anymore, he should be getting to the bucket a ton this year with that team.

It's good he is talking he is a good dude and he has to repair that image.that alone shows growth .good for you Ben

It's not that he doesn't shoot, it's that he's scared to shoot. That's a big difference. When it comes to crunch time in an important game, that's an important difference as we have seen. Also, as other people mentioned, if he made a few shots, they would have to respect him & would open up the floor a bit

I don't like that Ben says he wants to win and basically will do what needs to be done ...so when he's on the perimeter and the opposing team literally backs up 20 ft and leaves him open he still doesn't shoot wouldn't that help the team and help you win ??

Ben Simmons puts a ton of pressure on a defense but his lack of shooting puts a complexity into his decision making that shouldn’t be there. It makes for arkward situations on the court basketball wise that should flow smoothly but end up hurting his team.

I think he's just cool with not shooting. It kinda seems like in his mind, he already does so many other things well so he gave himself an excuse to not need to shoot

This guy is so underrated its nuts what is going on! I really hope he goes out there this year and shut people up.

You're the point guard though. Nobody would care if he was the center, but you're the POINT GUARD, give me 1 guard in the NBA that doesn't shoot !!!!!! yeah you pass the ball and defend so does Jrue , so does Smart , even Cp3 was an all defensive team all 3 are not as physically gifted and can shoot . Simmons always come up with an excuse

I love JJ but I think this is a clear example of why some podcast host are better than others. He never grills Ben, he’s never truly honest with him, and that allows Ben to not be honest with himself and his replies. Saying Ben Simmons can’t shoot isn’t a narrative… he can’t shoot and most importantly he doesn’t shoot. To allow him to sit on the platform and say “well I do other things” is irresponsible and bad journalism. Yes Ben is a good player but he gets paid like a top 10 talent, he’s a guard, and that means he should know how to shoot and if he doesn’t he should put the time in and learn ESPECIALLY in this era of the league. The criticism is WELL warranted and it’s not a narrative.

All this just to not make a single 3 Pointer all year and letting defenses back off him and shade off..

Can anyone ID JJ's glasses?? They are sweet

As expected, JJ is coddling Ben here. Not surprised

Jj is still being nice to Ben Simmons in this interview. How come he not asking him why he not shooting a 3. He been in the nba 5 seasons. Giannis at least attempt 3s.

(asks about shooting) *takes giant gulp of wine*

“I’m proudful”. When you’ve been athletic your whole life and never had to learn anything

Is there a reason JJ is wearing sunglasses at the dining table?

So, is he gonna eventually shoot this year or not?

It shouldn't be, but it's hilarious to hear Ben talk about "easy buckets" from here on out :D

The whole mental aspect of his problems seemed like a cheap cop out, but the fact he's so forthcoming to JJ's last question about letting the shooting affect him mentally and so candidly admitting that it definitely did affect him... I think that's progress, transparency, and I really hope he figures it out.

3:47 this is so real and i felt that.

I’ve been at a sixers game and saw Ben hitting 3s back to back in shoot around. I even got to see him hit one in game. Problem isn’t that he’s missing shots, it’s that he’s not even trying to take them.

If the whole defense backs off of you and dares you to shoot, then you gotta shoot.

I think Ben is a consistent jump shot away from being a modern day Scottie Pippen .. dude can do everything else at an elite level

Man’s says that he’s doing everything he can to win on the court? Then shoot the damn ball bro! Holding the rest of your teammates back, you may work on it in the gym but it’s translated to the game 3 times. That’s not getting better

Only way Ben shut up the doubters,he has to go hard when he get back on the court and let his game silence the critics....

The fact that he stands there with a straight face telling all he cares is winning. He folded like no other. He ain't no competator in him.

Nobody fails to appreciate his defense and the other things he does well. Nobody cares that he's not a good shooter. They care that he won't even try to shoot if he's left wide open, and he doesn't even seem willing to attack the basket at times because if he gets fouled, he's at the ft line. He looks scared when he passes up shots in the paint, as if he's afraid of being embarrassed about missing badly on the free throw line. To be fair to him, it does sometimes look like a legit psychological issue at times, which is fine, there's help for that, but then he needs to just own up to it. Giannis isn't a good shooter either, but he at least takes the shot if he's left open so the defenders are kept honest, and he certainly isn't afraid to attack the basket. Ben's a good player, Philly fans just didn't see the investment from him, and even his scouting reports before he was drafted said it didn't seem like basketball was his main priority. In Philly, they just want effort for the most part. All of the most beloved athletes there are renowned hard working, no nonsense types (Dawkins, Utley). Ben is talented enough to be a Giannis/Lebron type player, but he seems content to be a lower tier all-star, which is frustrating to watch. It also didn't help in Philly that his refusal to shoot made things really complicated, since their best player is most optimized playing from the post. Ben was clogging the paint and he didn't always seem interested in spacing the floor in order to better the team, so his "I just want to help the team" remark is bs.

He just keeps saying "idk it is what it is 🤷‍♂️" lol

Take your sunglasses off my man, you're indoors

He’s never till this day truly answer the question why he won’t shoot. He continues to beat around the bush. I don’t even think Ben knows why he ain’t shooting the rock tbh. He’s seems lost hope he can find himself 💯💯

I’m okay if he doesn’t shoot well or want to shoot. Just treat/pay him like an elite defender who can handle the ball and and avg 14-15 points a game.

“My goal is to win” well if you’re a liability on offense you can not win!

Anyone who says he’s not a top defender in this league when he’s on the court is crazy.