[Source](https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-coach-tells-story-bradley-175313309.html)
[Twitter link to the original article by Steve Bulpett](https://mobile.twitter.com/SteveBHoop/status/1628520883684777985)
>An anonymous NBA coach told Heavy that coach Scott Brooks and the Washington Wizards started the Hack-a-Ben strategy and it included star player Bradley Beal.
>The coach told Heavy:
>*“The first guy that started the Hack-a-Ben process was Scott Brooks with Washington,” he said. “They’re playing Philly a few years ago and Philly’s up by around 20. Brooks starts putting Simmons on the line in the fourth quarter, and the game is getting closer as Ben is stepping to the line and bricking more and more foul shots. So finally Bradley Beal had to foul him. Usually you don’t have your best player fouling, but at that point he did.*
>*“When that happened, Ben and Beal had this sort of animated conversation. Ben said, ‘I’m tired of you motherfuckers fouling me on purpose, man. I’m going to step up here and knock these two down. Five thousand dollars says I will.’ To which Beal replied, ‘You wanna make it 20?’ And then he went up and bricked one. I don’t think he said another word.*
Eastern Conference coach was talking about the game where [Ben Simmons attempted 24 free throws in the 4th quarter](https://www.espn.ph/nba/recap/_/gameId/400975056).
by FultzShoulder
44 Comments
Ben Simmer-down
Turning Ben Simmons from an All Star to what he is now is definitely the best defensive play of Bradley Beals career
So Bradley Beal is 5 nerdlucks in a trench coat
This just makes me like Ben tbh. Talks shit then immediately knows he fucked up. He just like all of us fr fr.
Guess that tactic works well. IMO, even more efficient than Hack-a-Shaq.
[X] Doubt
And he never once paid for drugs!
Well spent 250 million for beal so he can play money mind games
Brooks updated his secrit plays
That eastern conference coach? A mysterious figure known as Vacque Jaughn
Wasn’t this already a story like three days ago?
So this is about a game from 2017. I thought this was about the 2021 playoffs.
You know what this place needs? More Ben Simmons circlejerking
Didn’t Kobe bet like, half a million on one free throw?
> “When that happened, Ben and Beal had this sort of animated conversation. Ben said, ‘I’m tired of you motherf*****s fouling me on purpose, man. I’m going to step up here and knock these two down. Five thousand dollars says I will.’ To which Beal replied, ‘You wanna make it 20?’ And then he went up and bricked one. I don’t think he said another word.
>
> “There were certain indicators of this struggle early on. How did you miss it? And that is why he won’t shoot the ball. He lives in fear of having to shoot free throws or shooting airballs from the floor.”
This game was during November of his rookie year. It doesn’t at all explain the shit he’s going through now.
Simmons was very good in his 4 years in Philly: 3 All Star appearance, an All NBA team, averaging 15/8/8 on above average TS%. He never took jump shots, but he delivered consistent rim pressure and was always top 5 in the league in shots at the rim. Fans were obviously disappointed that he never improved from his rookie year given his lofty prospect hype, but he was still an All Star level player.
This year, he’s averaging just 7 PPG and has stopped attacking the rim. He’s a shell of his former self, and it has nothing to do with trash talk during the first month of his rookie year.
Ik we all talk about the Hawks series as the beginning of the end but the alarm bells started ringing in the first round of those playoffs. The hack a ben strategy was actually working and you could see his face just sink.
Did Bradley Beal give Ben Simmons depression?
Bro thought he was Jordan
Man it used to be funny to rag on Ben Simmons…
It still is, but it used to be as well
No he didn’t say another word, but he did make more than enough zero pressure free throws to not lose the game we were up by 20. It never got close, just wasted everyone’s time.
Funny story and all, but this has absolutely nothing to do with his struggles now or recent years. He was not afraid at all to be fouled and was shooting above 60%, which isn’t good, but is more than enough to not blow a 20 points lead.
And just like that a new copypaste format was born
One of the more spicier Ben hit pieces
I thought this was about Ben Wallace
I almost felt sorry for Ben until I saw his episode on JJ’s podcast, The guy is delusional. At least he had some fire in him at one point
The craziest part is reading Ben’s stat like from that game. Like I forgot he was legitimately good.
This team is going to be completely lost to time. But the 2020-21 Washington Wizards is the most irrelevant team I will never forget. 22/12/12 from Westbrook. 31.3ppg from Beal. Westbrook buzzer beater against the KD nets. The late season push from lottery to 8th seed. And now, killing Ben Simmons’ career
This just keeps getting sadder man. I know I know, he gets paid millions, but to just be humiliated day in day out about the thing your life was so focused on for so long is just brutal.
This guy doesn’t want to practice and get better. He deserves this.
Simmo the Savage everybody
The Curious case of Ben Simmons:
Ben Simmons was always a bad FT shooter. In his Philly years he averaged around 60% in the regular season and 70% in his first playoffs.
In fact neither 60% nor 70% are good numbers for a PG, however they total 1.2 Points per possesion at least. Which is respectable , which means you can’t hack him.
Suddenly and outta nowhere he turned into a 40% shooter (in his last playoffs with Philly), which is 0.8 PPP , which is attrocious and a prime candidate for hacking.
Not only that, but he maintained said percentage in his first regular season back.
I think something similar (but on a lesser extend) happened with Giannis. He was a mid 70% FT shooter which is actually quite respectable for a big. Then he suddenly had a ~50% ECF and ever since then he averages around 65% (which is still good enough so that it’s inadvisable inadvisable hack him but … weird).
It seems as if Free Throws have a lot of a psychological element. A bad playoff series and some players lose a whole chunk of their ability to shoot them…
That 2017 post-game article is gold.
Ben Simmons: “I have no fear of making free throws. It isn’t going to happen for much longer.”
Joel Embiid: “It was frustrating, but I trust Ben to step up and he did a great job.”
76er’s coach Brett Brown: “He’s going to have a long career and he has to navigate through this. It’s going to be part of his growth.”
Injury report: John Wall missed his third straight game with a sore left knee.
This reads like a pasta.
Hack-a-Ben in the playoffs killed Ben mentally. You’d think it would just make you work harder on free throws in the off season.
So Bradley Beal is the cause of all of this?? Fkn evil
“I have no fear of taking free throws,” Simmons said. “It’s not going to happen for much longer.”
Yikes
see kids bullying works
Bradley Beal legacy points added
There is simply no way Ben Simmons said that.
This sounds like a ballsack sports made up quotes lol
It’s a torture chamber in playoffs once the league has figured you out. But in regular season, teams are happy to let you do your thing most of the time. So teams they play for had these false sense of security that all will be well.
Someone get a tome so we can record this amazing piece of history
> “I have no fear of taking free throws” Simmons said. “It’s not going to happen for much longer”
Fam we’re going on six years of free-phobia
Missed opportunity to call it a Bententional Foul.
That box score is wild. 31 pts and 18 boards is an insane line for Ben. But 31 points with 29 free throw attempts is awful lmao. 15/29 from the line