NBA star Ben Simmons ‘stormed out’ of interview with Campbell Brown, hits back at Kane Cornes

Ben Simmons reportedly “stormed out” of an interview with an AFL great and took aim at another footy legend as his trip Down Under took some interesting twists.

Ben Simmons’ trip home to Australia has attracted all kinds of attention — some good, some bad.

The NBA superstar has taken in some AFL games Down Under but his relationship with greats of the sport he played as a kid hasn’t exactly blossomed.

Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes took a lighthearted jab at Essendon supporter Simmons for floating around different teams as he saw the Bombers and Melbourne play, and also visited Richmond HQ at Punt Road.

“Gee whiz I’m sick of Ben Simmons. Head back to Philadelphia, Simmons,” Cornes joked on the Sunday Footy Show.

“He was there at the Essendon game, then he’s down at Punt Road. So he’s an Essendon supporter, a massive one, he’s gone to Punt Road and then he’s got a Melbourne jumper on yesterday.

“Ben, which is it? Pick your team, head off son.”

It didn’t take long for Simmons hit back and poke fun at Cornes on his Instagram story.

Ben Simmons had a response ready for Kane Cornes.

‘CRACKED IT’: SIMMONS STORMS OFF

Cornes’ cheeky sledge won’t worry Simmons but it seems his incident at Crown Casino, where he implied he was racially profiled by security, is one that will cut the 76ers star to the core for many days to come.

The latest incident involves what was a pre-recorded interview with premiership Hawk and renowned AFL tough nut Campbell Brown for the Seven Network and implies the NBA star might just have been being a little bit precious and unable to take a joke.

Two-time Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd spilled the beans on the incident during an appearance on Triple M’s The Friday Huddle.

“It was going well but bordering on a little bit safe,’’ Judd said of the interview.

“The (Brown) Dog thought it was time to bring a little bit of sizzle. He said we’ve got a fair bit in common you and I. You drive a Maserati, I drive a Toyota Kluger. You’re worth $250 million and I’m borderline unemployed and the last thing we have in common is we’ve both been denied entry to Crown.”

It was then that Simmons called an end to the chat with Brown.

“Ben Simmons said this interview’s done, cracked it, he stormed out and took the microphone off,’’ Judd said.

Campbell Brown upset Ben Simmons greatly.

Judd also elaborated that questions about the incident at Crown were also apparently off limits in an interview rider that was given to Brown.

“Not unlike Lindsay Lohan, it’s understood Ben had a couple of things he didn’t want to speak about — which I think is personally reasonable when you’re a star of that size,” Judd said.

“Three things, I don’t have the information of what all three things were, but I can only assume the Kardashians were one, and I have it for fact that Crown Casino was another.”

Brown had declined to comment to The Herald Sun when approached about the incident.

Bombers fan Simmons was at the football on Saturday and was presented with a Melbourne jumper by his mate, Melbourne’s Christian Petracca, a week after going into the Essendon rooms, and he also went for a kick at Richmond’s Punt Road Oval during the week.

Ben Simmons has been hanging out around Melbourne

Simmons, of course, has drawn all kinds of attention since the incident occurred and he posted a video to his Instagram account then deleted it last Monday evening.

The incident which drew international headlines has created plenty of headlines with it being alleged that he was actually refused entry for not providing ID.

Another response from 2GB radio host Steve Price was that Simmons may have made the claims of racial profiling to help promote an agenda for a documentary on Adam Goodes that he will help distribute in the United States.

Simmons’ sister Olivia also recently came out in defence of her brother and said that he would not lie about his experience before accusing Australia of having a culture of “silent racism”.

The Melbourne-based mother and basketball coach posted a series of tweets in which she discussed racism in Australia and her brother’s situation.

“I live in Melbourne so I stand by anyone who says they feel as though it was racial,” Olivia wrote. “Chances are it was. Australian racism is silent and because we have nobody to represent us (people of colour) on TV, apart from Waleed Aly, when stories break they’re always biased and one sided.”

She responded vigorously to entertainment reporter Peter Ford, who is covering the story. “My brother doesn’t lie,” Olivia wrote. “Yet again another white man discrediting a black man’s experience. I would say walk a mile in his shoes but your teeny tiny feet wouldn’t fit into his shoes.

“I’m tired of old white Australian men saying things aren’t racist when they are. You don’t know what it feels like to be the only person to have (your) bag checked when leaving a store or being denied entry for the colour of your skin. This country needs a serious change.”

Simmons, who is Australia’s highest paid athlete, has refused to answer questions about Crown or his commercial arrangement with Visit Victoria to promote his home state while he is in town.