What is everyone’s problem with Ben Simmons?

He’s one of our greatest sporting exports of all time. So how about we start treating Ben Simmons like it instead of trying to find fault in his success at every turn, writes Megan Hustwaite.

Grow them fast and then cut them down even faster — Australia does tall poppy syndrome like no other.

Our latest big-name victim? Basketball star Ben Simmons who’s been tut-tutted throughout his recent trip back home for a wide-ranging variety of sins.

Before he even touched down the 23-year-old was in the bad books for having pulled out of the Boomers’ World Cup campaign and, in turn, withdrawing from exhibition games against Canada and the US scheduled to be held in Perth and Melbourne. To be clear, nothing was on the line in these games and Simmons didn’t deem himself unavailable to the Olympics, he simply acknowledged that his multimillion-dollar NBA contract requires him to be training with the team that pays him the big bucks at the same time. To some, though, he may as well have shot Bambi.

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Then there was the saga at Melbourne’s Crown Casino where both parties played the blame game.

Next up was some finger pointing over a commercial agreement where Visit Victoria paid the former Box Hill resident to showcase his home state to his mammoth social media following. The Herald Sun reported it was understood his flights and accommodation weren’t paid for by the taxpayer.

Simmons did the coin toss for weekend match between the Melbourne Demons and the Collingwood Magpies. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL/Getty

Finally, a story broke over the weekend that condemned Simmons for hosting a basketball clinic for young hoopers and charging $200 a place for kids to attend.

Apparently, the fact that every other similar sporting camp or clinic also charges kids to attend is null and void when the celebrity in question has signed a $243 million, five-year NBA contract.

In response to this news, radio shock jock Alan Jones declared Simmons should, “go back to America and stay there”.

Aside from putting mini ballers in Melbourne and Sydney through their paces, Simmons has found time to catch his AFL team Essendon play Port Adelaide, kick around the Sherrin with AFLW star Sabrina Fredrick-Traub at Richmond, don a Melbourne jumper — the team his childhood best mate Christian Petracca plays for — and toss the coin before the Demons’ weekend clash with Collingwood.

Go for it! Here's a pic of her with him, living what she and her mates called 'the best day ever' pic.twitter.com/ZXYGhcrrHb

— Mel Palling (@MelPalling) August 11, 2019

So what’s up with this narrative and negativity towards a young bloke from Melbourne who’s carving out one of the most successful sporting careers in our nation’s history?

It seems like we want our own to be superstars, but not too big and definitely not too big for their size 14 Nikes.

One Melbourne mum, who happily paid the $200 fee for her eight-year-old daughter Ava to attend a clinic defended Simmons on Twitter, saying, “I’m forever grateful that he even bothers! He’s provided probably close to 1000 kids memories they will cherish forever. Here’s a pic of her with him living what she and her mates called ‘the best day ever’.”

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Another woman shared: “Same in Sydney — one of the parents I work with was in here first thing showing us videos and telling stories about how great the camp in Sydney was. Plus pics of all the merchandise the kids got — hats, posters, bags, etc.”

But perhaps more importantly are the stories that haven’t been shared.

According to Helping Hoops, a Melbourne-based charity which runs free basketball clinics for 1000 underprivileged kids, Simmons granted free places for 30 eager kids at his clinic.

Ben Simmons has copped unfair criticism on his recent trip back home. Picture: AAP/Stefan Postles

Executive director Adam McKay told RendezView that the organisation had received wonderful support from Simmons and his family — who have accommodated their young basketballers at his Australian clinics for the past three years — after covering the costs for 12 participants in 2017, 20 in 2018, and finally 30 this year.

“It’s absolutely incredible. It’s no small gesture, but the impact these things can have in the trajectory of a child’s life in terms of confidence, self-esteem and how they view themselves can’t be understated. It can be life-changing,” he says.

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That’s something mother Kelly Exeter likely knows, too.

On Monday, she tweeted: “I was more than willing to fly from Perth and pay $200 for my son (who lost his dad this year and who is a huge Ben fan) to do the Melbourne camp. But we found out too late about the camp and no tickets were left. Ben’s family gifted us a ticket and my son has been on a high ever since. So unbelievably grateful.”

If Simmons didn’t come home and hold clinics like he already does regularly, he’d be seen as snubbing his roots. But when he does come home, he’s judged at every turn.

Despite all of this, Simmons has been out and about in Melbourne, telling reporters: “I love Melbourne, it’s where I’m from.”

So if we really want to see Australians continue to succeed on an international level it’s about time we trade our disdain for pride, before it’s too late.

Megan Hustwaite is a columnist for RendezView.com.au

@MeganHustwaite