National Basketball Association

Isiah Thomas rips Ben Simmons for sitting out summer league game to rest

Published Jul. 14, 2016 4:25 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Philadelphia 76ers announced that No. 1 draft pick Ben Simmons was sitting out Wednesday's summer league game to rest, and that got Isiah Thomas' attention.

First, Thomas retweeted it. Then he went off on Simmons on NBA TV, ripping him for standing around taking selfies with fans and insisting "He's a young player; he should be playing tonight."

"You know, you've got people coming into the building, they wanna watch him play. He's a rookie. And taking selfies, and signing autographs — I mean, you're 19. Earn your money, get out on the floor, perform and play," Thomas said.

"Don't start developing bad habits right now. You've played maybe, what, eight games in the summer? How can you take a day off for rest?"

Some fans who were watching felt the Hall of Famer was being too hard on Simmons for skipping a game against a team of D-Leaguers.

Anyone else hearing @iamisiahthomas bash Simmons for not playing in tonight's game? Maybe you should take a night off, pal #Clown
— Inside 76ers (@Inside76ers) July 13, 2016

Ben Simmons is 19 and already better than Isiah Thomas he doesn't need to play summer league https://t.co/5eDzG8XyNi
— Simmons Best F (@BrettSant05) July 14, 2016

Pay attention, Ben! Isiah knows his stuff https://t.co/QO8WtO1bWr
— FakeWIPCaller (@FakeWIPCaller) July 14, 2016

The 76ers on Thursday sat Simmons again, the third of Philly's eight summer league games that he's missed.

Coach Brett Brown said Simmons wanted to play but it was the team's decision to sit him.

"This is our direction, it has nothing to do with him," Brown told ESPN.

Simmons is averaging 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and 29.7 minutes in three games in Las Vegas. Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, who's coaching the summer league team, told ESPN he was "not sure" Simmons would play Friday.