Metta World Peace Strongly Advocates ‘Sports Therapy’ For NBA Star Ben Simmons: ‘It’s Not That He’s Psycho…or Crazy’

Being able to shoot the basketball would seem like an obvious requirement for NBA players. But despite being a three-time All-Star at just 24-years-old, not only does Ben Simmons struggle to shoot the basketball, he appears fearful of it.

Multiple coaches have tried to fix the problem for the Philadelphia 76ers star. Every offseason, various videos are released to show Simmons working on his shooting woes, but once the games start, the same struggles persist. Still, Metta World Peace is convinced he has the answer.

“Fixable, easily fixable,” the player formerly knowns as Ron Artest said of Simmons. “He has to learn to live with butterflies.”

World Peace has been open about seeing a sports therapist throughout his NBA career. And because of that experience, World Peace told Shannon Sharpe he’s confident Simmons can overcome his shooting woes.

“I gotta say, he doesn’t believe in himself right now. It looks like he don’t believe in himself,” World Peace acknowledged on Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. “And that’s really crazy. It’s like those Instagram models who are like ‘I gotta put more makeup on because I don’t know if I look good.’ You look great!”

“You gotta breakthrough whatever you’re going through mentally and work on it,” World Peace continued. “Don’t be listening to everybody else blowing smoke up your ass. Every athlete has been through it where they had to seek therapy.”

World Peace, who retired from the NBA in 2017 following a 17-year career, is often remembered for charging into the stands during a horrific brawl. The ugly scene known as the Malice at the Palace occurred in 2004. Six years later, World Peace held the championship trophy with the Los Angeles Lakers and immediately thanked his psychiatrist during his postgame interview.

“Sports therapy is the most amazing thing ever,” he told Sharpe. “That’s why they have it and he should really seek it. It’s not that he’s psycho, or that he’s crazy. It’s that sports therapy is normal.”

Simmons did reportedly begin seeing a sports psychologist last year, but as it remains a private matter, it’s unclear if he’s continued to seek help in regaining confidence in his shot.

Watch above via the Club Shay Shay podcast