You might not like it, but the rules are never the same for the truly elite, especially in sports.
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Legend has it that Browns coach Blanton Collier would yell at whoever was standing next to Jim Brown when he wanted to get a point across to the Hall-of-Fame running back. It's the same reason why LeBron James can handpick coaches and teammates. It's not fair. However, neither is much of this maze called life.
There are the haves and those who don't have quite as much ability. There are those who have the juice and those who are just happy to get a sip. One of James' proteges, Australian forward Ben Simmons, falls into the former category. Often the target of hypercriticism, the 6-10, 240-pounder has taken some heat for declining a workout with the 76ers, owners of the No. 1 overall pick in next Thursday's NBA Draft.
Actor/comedian Kevin Hart even called him out for it on Rachel Nichols' ESPN show "The Jump."
ANALYSIS: Simmons vs. Ingram
It's easy to understand Hart's perspective.
He pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, however small the boots might've been, to become an international celebrity by working his way through the ranks as a stand-up comedian. He went from the chitterling circuit to headlining his own tours, starring in movies and having his own signature Nike shoe. However, basketball is Simmons' business. Who he is in the marketplace has everything to do with why Klutch Sports, ran by James' friend Rich Paul, advised him to turn down the 76ers' invitation.
Simmons proved himself worthy of being the first player chosen when he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his lone college season at LSU. He's slated to go No. 1 overall by both NBADraft.net and DraftExpress. So, he doesn't have to, and quite frankly, shouldn't waste his time and travel to Philadelphia to put himself through drills. The Sixers have access to every last one of the game tapes from the 33 contests he played in last season.
If Philadelphia still has unanswered questions about Simmons' love for the game or his jump shot, both of which came into question this past season, they can choose to select Duke's Brandon Ingram. At 6-9, 190 pounds, Ingram, who averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds and shot 41 percent from 3-point range has been compared to Kevin Durant.
MCCARTHY: ESPN is all NBA now
The draft is a gamble. Maybe, Simmons, who possesses the dribbling skills of a point guard and the physique of a power forward, will develop into a Magic Johnson or James like player. Maybe, he won't, but it's not his nor his handlers' job to make sure the Sixers make the right choice.
They're smart enough to know they have enough leverage not to have to take all the risks. Simmons and company are betting the worst thing that could happen is he slips to No. 2. The Lakers would gladly snatch him up and add him to a young nucleus that includes Jordan Clarkson (15.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.4 apg), last year's second-overall pick D'Angelo Russell (13.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.3 apg) and Julius Randle (11. 3 ppg, 10.2 rpg).
Rapper Ice T once told a story in an HBO documentary about why he refused to play a music executive any records before signing a deal with his label.
"You either believe I got good records or you don't," Ice explained. "If you don't believe I got 'em, let me leave."
Ice compared the negotiation to selling hand grenades in an alley. He wouldn't let you throw one to test if they're good. Even if he did, and it was, who's to say that wasn't the only good hand grenade in the case, he reasoned.
"The man looked at me and said, 'You got a lot of business sense. Have you ever been to business school?" said Ice, recounting the conversation. "I said, 'No, but I've sold hand grenades before.'"
Let Ice tell it, he walked away with a $500,000 contract.
It's all in the game. Respect Simmons' hustle.
You see, unlike the rest of the players in this year's draft, Simmons isn't auditioning for NBA teams. They're auditioning for him.