“He’s a Prick”: Kings Reporters’ Unfiltered Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine Comments Caught On Hot Mic

With Ben Simmons back in the NBA after sitting out 2025-26, he was recently put under the spotlight during NBA Media Day. Many reporters were curious about his return, especially after the lengthy absence. However, a couple of female reporters got caught talking smack about Simmons and his Sacramento Kings teammate Zach LaVine, failing to realize that their chit-chat was being recorded on a hot mic.

One reporter called Simmons "cringe" during their conversation, caught live on KCRA News. @Kings_muse posted the near-two-minute-long clip on X, which got around seven million views as of this writing.

After calling Simmons "cringe", her partner in the conversation commented on his appearance, calling Simmons and Zach LaVine "fine." Then, the first reporter also expressed her frustrations with LaVine while simultaneously complimenting his physical features.

"Zach is cute, but his personality f****** annoys me," the reporter said. "It just seems like he’s a prick."

A male reporter with them also questioned their choices, saying to one of them that he thought Jordan Poole was more their type. The women also complimented the players' skin, wanting to know their skincare routine.

The identity of the reporters is not known yet.

Ben Simmons Shares His Journey to NBA Return

For the first time since missing the entire 2025-26 season, Ben Simmons is making his NBA comeback. In early September, Simmons and the Sacramento Kings agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract worth $3.5 million. His contract guarantees him $1 million if he appears for the Kings' season opener.

The last time we saw Ben Simmons play on an NBA court was in the 2024-25 season when he played for the LA Clippers, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Simmons then made the decision to step away from the hardwood to focus on recovering his body.

In the latter part of Simmons' career prior to his abrupt exit in 2025, he had been dealing with a plethora of recurring injuries. It eventually took a toll on his body, which also hindered him from performing at a top level.

Fast forward to the present day, the Australian forward shared what his journey was like to make it back to the NBA after a lengthy leave of absence.

"I think that was more so just my body," Simmons said about his break (via NBA on ESPN). "It wasn't about if I wanted to play. All these people talk about how I don't love the game. That's b*******. I love this game. If I didn't, I wouldn't have taken that year to focus on myself and get back to where I'm at."

It will be interesting to know if court rust will be an issue, especially since he hasn't competed on an NBA level in quite some time.