For many reasons, Ben Simmons‘ tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers will never be forgotten. Simmons was part of the Sixers teams that consistently went to the postseason, giving the fans hope. On the other hand, the 6-foot-10 guard was part of their postseason collapse in 2021, leading to an ugly breakup with the franchise.
The Australian guard, currently a member of the Brooklyn Nets, has grown up throughout the years. Simmons was teased in the podcast “The Young Man and The Three,” where he spoke highly of the Sixers fans.
According to Simmons, he now appreciates the fans more after his stint in Philly. He expressed his gratitude to the city and the team’s supporters.
“For me, going to a city like Philadelphia was — from Melbourne, Australia, went to Louisiana, completely different places,” Simmons said. “The fans, I didn’t appreciate the fans enough. The fans of Philadelphia are incredible. You always want to play for a team that has a good fanbase. Whether they’re booing or whatever, you just want fans to care, you want the arena packed.
“Having that experience in Philadelphia was amazing. I’m so grateful to have played there and got to experience the city of Philly and know what it feels like to play for a team like Philly. And play in a winning team, winning in Philly is different. There’s no place like it.
"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 said he’s now applying what he learned and experienced in Philly with his current team.
“We had a chance to win it — win a ‘ship,” he continued. “I think I’m just grateful to have that experience and know what it’s like to be a part of an organization in a city like Philadelphia. And then just taking that and trying to apply it to Brooklyn.”
How good was Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers?
Simmons showed a ton of promise during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was the team’s first pick in 2016 but had to sit out his rookie year due to a broken foot. However, he quickly made the team better the following season and earned the Rookie of the Year award.
He improved the next season and teamed up with big man Joel Embiid to create a deadly team. Simmons’ other on-court abilities provided him the advantage even though he didn’t shoot well. He distributed the ball effectively and forced his way inside because he had a larger physique than most point guards.
During his time in Philly, the Sixers star was an All-Star three times and made the All-NBA Third Team once. Simmons played four years with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
