"AI is getting way outta hand" - NBA fans shade Ben Simmons after video of him effortlessly drilling 3-pointers during pickup game resurfaces

Following another underwhelming, injury-plagued season, a video of Brooklyn Nets guard-forward Ben Simmons draining 3-pointers during a pickup game resurfaced on social media. The highlight reel sparked humorous NBA fan reactions, with many expressing skepticism about Simmons ever developing a dependable 3-point shot.

Simmons only appeared in 15 games this past season due to back and knee injuries. In mid-March, he underwent a microscopic partial discectomy to address a nerve impingement in his lower back, concluding his campaign.

On April 24, Nets general manager Sean Marks said that "all signs point to" Simmons returning by next season's training camp. However, given his consistent injury woes and offensive decline over the past few years, many remain skeptical about his ability to positively impact a winning team.

Before being hindered by injuries, Simmons' offseason highlight reels became a running gag among fans. Seemingly every summer, clips of him showcasing his range in practices and pickup games went viral on social media.

However, the three-time All-Star's off-court shooting work never translated to NBA games, as he is still shooting only 5-for-36 (13.9%) from 3 for his career.

On Sunday, a 2019 video of Simmons lighting up a pickup game against several fellow NBA players resurfaced on X/Twitter.

Most fans appeared to forget about the clip, as they remarked about Simmons attempting to trick them again.

"Ahh, here it is, the annual 'Ben Simmons hits a 3 in the summer' post," @MiamiCanes1971 said.

"It’s the same story every year!" @StadiumThrills said.

"It’s never summer without a Ben Simmons shooting tease video!" @Maxlawrencee said.

Meanwhile, others quipped about the video being AI-generated.

"AI is getting way too outta hand now," @minnyshowtime said.

"Damn, I didn't know AI was this f**king advanced already. They are having Ben Simmons make 3s, like, that's some impressive s**t," @bishop1x_ said.

"Most likely AI. He’s never hit that many shots," @JahdevB said.

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Ben Simmons expresses confidence ahead of potential bounce-back season

Most fans appear to be permanently out on Ben Simmons. However, that seemingly hasn't shaken his confidence too much, as he recently hinted at having a bounce-back 2024-25 season.

In a June 11 Instagram story, Simmons shared a photo of himself alongside the quote, "It hits differently when you bet on yourself and it pays off."

Despite facing constant criticism over the past few years, Simmons is only turning 28 next month. Thus, he is around the age many players begin entering their primes.

So, if he gets healthy, perhaps Simmons can prove his doubters wrong and return to being at least an impactful rotation player.

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