The NBA can be an extraordinarily petty place, what with all the egos and rivalries and assorted beefs among its many stars and the way social media enables these dynamics. But the NBA is also a tight-knit community that readily sets aside the inconsequential when it comes time to band together to tackle more serious matters.
So when Donald Trump dis-invited Steph Curry and the Warriors to the ceremonial White House visit that is normally afforded to the NBA’s reigning champs (after they’d already made clear repeatedly that they would not attend), many of the league’s most high-profile players came to Curry’s defense. Yet that comparatively-minor controversy was ancillary to the larger issue of Trump calling for NFL players who kneel in protest during the national anthem to be fired.
It was a stunning stance on behalf of the president to undermine exactly the types of constitutional rights that the flag represents, and it ignited widespread criticism among NBA players, coaches, and other league personnel. Now, Sixers rookie Ben Simmons has weighed in with a decidedly NSFW response.
https://twitter.com/T_Buecher320/status/913195201165852672
“I think he’s an idiot, and if we were in Australia right now, a lot of people would call him a d*ckhead. That’s how I personally feel.”
Given that Trump himself often resorts to name-calling and personal attacks, it’s hard not to relish the moment when it gets a little in return. But Simmons also went on to offer a more thoughtful critique of Trump’s presidency, in no uncertain terms calling out his poor leadership, his immaturity, and his general lack of credibility and poise for the country’s highest office.
It certainly doesn’t look like the league’s public spat with Trump will be ending anytime soon.
