“People of Philly just wanna have something to say about fu**ing anything” – Ben Simmons clarifies that he never hated Philadelphia, says it is completely different from playing in Brooklyn

Ben Simmons recently appeared on JJ Redick's podcast, The Old Man & the Three where they talked about their time in Philadelphia. Both Simmons and Redick acknowledged that playing for the 76ers was tough because of how rowdy Philly fans can get.

For the most part, it was Ben Simmons who was always on the receiving end of the fans' criticism. He mentioned how Philly fans would always judge the superstar for doing something else rather than training in the gym. Simmons said:

"People of Philly just wanna have something to say about fu**ing anything. Like literally everything. I post a picture of a fu**ing car or a dog and I got reports saying 'you should be in a fu**ing gym.'"

Despite what Philly fans think of Simmons now, he still perceives his experience to be a pleasant one. In fact, he still considers himself a Sixer. He mentioned he learnt and grew as a basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers. Because of those sentiments, Simmons will always have a soft spot for Philly. He continued:

"My experience playing there was incredible. Like for the most part it was incredible. I had a great time there, fans were unbelievable. I feel like i'm part of Philly still."

Ben Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers career

Philadelphia 76ers v Phoenix Suns

Ben Simmons was the first pick of the 2016 NBA draft selected by the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately for him, he was dealing with an injured right foot that forced him to sit out in his rookie year.

After fully recovering from his injury, Simmons was finally ready to make his NBA debut in the 2017-2018 season. Ben Simmons recorded a double-double in his first NBA game. He immediately proved why he was the first pick by finishing the match with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

After his debut match against the Washington Wizards, Simmons consistently put up high numbers for the rest of his rookie season. He nearly averaged a triple-double by averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game in his first season. This helped win the Rookie of the Year in 2018.

During his time in Philly, Simmons became an NBA All-Star. With Joel Embiid on his side, both superstars took led the Sixers. Simmons was a reliable player on both ends of the floor. He had a nearly complete game, just missing a 3-point shot in his arsenal.

Eventually, injuries started to become a problem for the young superstar. Simmons had to sit out games, however, he took his time off very differently compared to most NBA players.

Simmons would skip practices and people would spot him doing other things aside from basketball. This is when Philly fans' relationship with him began to crumble.

Even his former teammates had some issues with him not showing up to practice, which led to an inevitable trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

Now in his newfound home, Simmons is yet to play an official game for the team. According to reports, he has gone through successful back surgery and is now expected to make his return in the 2022-2023 season.