[Source](http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100709)
Did her ever apologize for this statement directly? I’ve come across posts on the internet saying he regrets his stance, but these are all second-hand sources. I dont think he’s actually ever apologized directly.
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by GuessZealousideal729
39 Comments
this was such a stupid statement to make because JJ Barea is Lebron’s father
Simmons frequently makes some weird comment about how he feels up Lebron’s shoulders each time he sees him pre-game, and remarks on how they’ve gotten even harder than the last time he’d felt them—
all to say i imagine he and Lebron are on okay terms or else that’d make for an ever weirder interaction(s)
Fans: we rank players based on championships
Also Fans: wait why is this guy trying SO hard to win a championship?
Still not as bad as saying the Grizzlies suck because MLK got assassinated in Memphis (paraphrasing).
Simmons has had some very questionable takes lol
Ole Billy boy actually brought up the idea of The Decision to Lebron’s agent and team but hid this fact until it was revealed in 2020 ESPN’s docuseries “Backstory: The Decision,”
>The idea for the show, according to “Backstory,” didn’t come from James or anyone tied to him. I**t actually originated in a Bill Simmons mailbag, from a reader named Drew from Columbus, Ohio. Simmons pitched it to ESPN in February of 2010, suggesting they call it “LeBron’s Decision.” He suggested it to Leon Rose, James’ agent at the time who recently became the Knicks’ president, and Carter, James’ childhood friend and business partner.** They loved it, Simmons wrote in an email to ESPN. But it didn’t get off the ground until June of that year, after the Cavaliers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Celtics. Broadcaster Jim Gray suggested it to Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel and Carter, who sold James.
[Source](https://nypost.com/2020/06/24/bill-simmons-mailbag-inspired-lebron-james-decision-that-david-stern-never-wanted/)
He’s not the only one to say this. Tim Grover, Mike and Kobe’s former trainer, said that Lebron didn’t have a father figure when he was a young player which lead to him not having the mental toughness that ceertain guys had which lead to him bailing on the Cavs and joining the heat.
Lmao bill needs to be arrested wtf.
Typical Boston fan 🤣🤣🤣
S/o to single moms who raise they kids to be well-rounded people.
Luv u mum
Bill Simmons never ceases to be a piece of shit
You blame him for what? Playing with good team mates in South Beach?
This is so dumb.
Bill Simmons is a dumbass
Simmons has such nonsensical, contradictory opinions on LeBron and always has. And it got turned up to 11 when he went to the Lakers. Bill was a good writer and is sometimes a good podcaster; there are just certain subjects you have to know to ignore because he’s so plainly biased.
I know this sound bad but I don’t think younger generation gasp how sports media (writing at the time) was back in the day. This is tame in comparison to large headlines on national papers especially in 90s. More or less, its a shit post but in a national medium
bill simmons went full George Karl
I blame Bill’s TV show failing because he’s a starfucker who talks about his dad too much. I never actually watched the TV show and I am prepared to make a public apology.
this gets posted at least once a month
Racial undertones from the C’s fan…who would’ve thought.
Damn what a shitty thing to say lol
The quote was about the spectacle he put on for the announcement, not for the decision to change teams. Let’s be accurate here.
Holy shit. Jerking too close to the sun.
it’s incredible that lebron was still able to become a father figure for kyrie irving and his other teammates despite not having a father around
This is just copium from Bill as usual
Offseason so bad we digging up quotes from 13 years ago.
How can you say that when the man never had controversies in his career.
Delonte West had too many mental issues to be the father that LeBron needed him to be.
And you guys keep posting stuff from guys like that
This sub puts too much stock in that guy
People take sports wayyy too seriously dawg 😂
apologize for what? what is wrong with what he said?
This was nothing compared to what people were saying back then, do you all not remember the meltdown the whole country had over this?
Didn’t all the proceeds go to charity? Maybe it pissed some people off but it made for great entertainment and isn’t that what Simmons needs for his job?
Why would he apologize? He’s 100% correct
Well yeah, everyone knows fathers are genetically hardwired to tell their sons “Don’t go to Miami.” It’s science.
Bill Simmons will never be half the man lebron is.
What a weird fuckin personal lowblow to make about a free agency decision.
Idc what anybody says, that is highly telling of his character to say some shit like that
Simmons is your typical racist white r/nba poster
The quote from his 2003 draft mailbag about LeBron’s mom was ten times worse.
Guys been a piece of shit for literally decades.
You can take Bill out of Boston, but…