Ben Simmons is learning the hard way that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons was supposed to be a franchise fixture alongside Joel Embiid, bringing multiple championships to the City of Brotherly Love.
In four seasons in Philadelphia, Simmons earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors, made three All-Star teams, and helped lead the 76ers to the playoffs four times.
However, his final game with the team became his legacy: infamously passing up a wide-open dunk in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals loss against the Atlanta Hawks.
During the summer of 2021, he demanded a trade from the 76ers and held out during the regular season before being dealt to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
Life hasn’t improved in Brooklyn, as injuries have limited him to just 87 games over three-and-a-half seasons with the team.
Ben Simmons reveals he didn’t appreciate Philadelphia 76ers fans enough
Despite the criticism he faced upon departure, 76ers fans consistently supported Simmons during his Philadelphia tenure. During an appearance on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast with Nets teammates Cam Johnson and Tommy Alter, Simmons reflected on his time in Philadelphia.
“I didn’t appreciate the fans enough,” Simmons admitted. “The fans of Philadelphia are incredible. You always want to play for a team that has a good fan base — whether they’re booing or whatever. You just want fans to care. You want the arena packed. So, just having that experience in Philadelphia was amazing. I’m so grateful to have played there and get to experience the city of Philly and know what it feels like to play for a team like Philly and play on a winning team.”
"I didn't appreciate the fans enough…the fans of Philadelphia are incredible." — Ben Simmons opens up about his relationship with Philly in our sit down with him dropping TOMORROW! 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/B9KVqvOPoT
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) January 23, 2025
Simmons emphasized that “winning in Philadelphia is different” and that “there’s no place like it.”
“We had a chance to win a championship,” he continued. “I’m just grateful to have that experience and know what it’s like to be part of an organization in a city like Philadelphia and then just taking that and trying to apply it to Brooklyn, where I’m at now and embracing what it is now, knowing it’s not Philadelphia but we’re here for a reason, and we’re trying to do everything we can to make an impact and win games and build Brooklyn up.”
With free agency looming after this season, could Simmons be angling for a return to Philadelphia? Given his recent lack of production and injury history, few teams may be willing to offer Simmons a contract. Over his 87 games in Brooklyn, Simmons is averaging just 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
