Jamie Foxx took a stand against sports analyst and commentator Stephen A. Smith’s rebuke of Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons, Vibe reports.
On Monday, Smith went into a tirade about Simmons on ESPN’s First Take.
“Ben Simmons might also be the weakest, most pathetic excuse for a professional athlete we have ever seen in, not just American history, but the history of sports,” Smith said. “I can’t think of a professional athlete that has come across more pathetic than this man.”
The last NBA game Simmons played was last June for the Philadelphia 76ers, before the team was eliminated from the 2021 playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks, according to People.
The 76ers traded him in Feb. 2022 to the Nets in exchange for James Harden. Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star, has been on the bench recovering from a back injury, The Athletic reports.
Social media quickly shared Smith’s harsh critique, prompting the 54-year-old Oscar winner to add his thoughts. Foxx posted his now-deleted comment under a clip on Instagram, chastising Smith’s commentary as extreme and suggesting it is racially biased, according to Vibe.
View this post on Instagram
“That is completely unfair @bensimmons has a family this man has people that love him and this man just plays basketball but to be dragged through the mud like this is unfair,” Foxx said.
He noted how Smith seemingly extended grace to white athletes like Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who Smith has fawned over several times.
“And why is it @stephenasmith you only go at basketball players,” he continued. “You [are] completely mute when it comes to the Tom Bradys [and] the Aaron Rodgers of the world… You get where I’m going… stop it bruh it’s out of bounds.”
On Tuesday, Smith went on First Take to defend his comments about Simmons.
“Like I told Jamie Foxx on the phone that he’s wrong, like I told him to his face that he’s wrong, I’m going to tell him on national television that he’s wrong!” Smith said, adding that he and Foxx are amicable, People reports.
Smith continued to defend himself and said he denounces white athletes “when necessary.” He said that he highlights Simmons and players like Kyrie Irving for their “impact and effect” on other Black athletes.
“When you go to the collective bargaining table, and they use them as an example to try to minimize their contributions to players, that’s about those players,” Smith said.
If Simmons’ rehabilitate continues to go smoothly, and it’s possible he will play for the Nets next season, according to People.
