Ben Simmons has never shied away from his critical views on the NCAA.
In his 2016 documentary ‘One and Done’, Simmons described the NCAA as a “really f***ed up” organisation where “everybody’s making money except the players”.
The rising Australian star has since double down on his criticism of the controversial multi-billion dollar business.
In an interview released by Uninterrupted on Thursday, the former number one draft pick called the NCAA “sneaky” and “a dirty business”.
“It’s a dirty business… You have to put up with it, but at the same time it taught me a lot,” Simmons said. “I have an image and people use it, but now I have the opportunity to control that, what I do and who I work with. It helped me, but at the same time I felt it was very sneaky.”
Simmons didn’t stop there, adding that he learnt more sitting on the NBA sidelines last season than he did during his entire time with Louisiana State University.
“I think I would have learned a lot more by being around professional athletes,” Simmons said. “Looking at it now, I don’t even know what I learned financially or just being a person at LSU. I think I’ve learned a lot more with this last year being in Philly and being a pro, than I did at LSU.”
Calling out the NCAA is nothing new.
But what makes Simmons’ voice stand out amid the chorus of criticism has been his willingness to do it during – and immediately after – his college career.