Reports: Ben Simmons had to do anonymous charity work in Philadelphia over the fear of kids dropping their scholarships due to his name being attached

Former Philadelphia 76ers All-Star point guard Ben Simmons’ reputation took a strong hit over his final year in Philly. Simmons was accused of quitting on the team after a disappointing 2021 playoff run and later faced a lot of hostility from Sixers fans.

Simmons has also said on record that he was dealing with mental health issues at the time, which only made matters worse. The hostility towards Simmons may have been worse than many realized though, as the situation apparently got so bad that it affected his charity work.

According to Konrad Marshall of The Sydney Morning Herald, Simmons was forced to do charity work anonymously in Philadelphia. This was due to his worrying that people wouldn’t accept his donations if they knew from whence they came.

Marshall also reported that some kids even dropped their tech scholarships because Simmons’ name was associated with them. The story came via Ben Simmons’ sister, Melissa.

“Simmons’ eldest sister, Melissa, runs his community and social-impact work (Ben Simmons Family Foundation), which includes everything from youth leadership programs to partnerships with organizations like Operation Warm (giving winter coats to kids who need them). Last year, he was forced to continue the latter anonymously,” Marshall reported.

"'We were a little bit worried that people in Philly might not wear the coat if they knew it was from Ben Simmons,' Melissa admits, noting that a few kids even dropped technology scholarships because his name was attached. 'That was heart-wrenching,'" Marshall continued in his report.

Expand Tweet

Sixers fans may never forgive Simmons for his on-court production during his time in Philly. But most NBA fans would agree that there’s no place for that level of off-court hostility in the league.

For Konrad Marshall's full story on Simmons, click here.

Ben Simmons on his return to Philadelphia

Ben Simmons made his much-anticipated return to Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

The game marked his first against his former team since he was traded in February. As expected, Simmons was heavily booed by Philly fans starting in warmups and player introductions. However, according to Simmons, the boos weren’t as loud as he had anticipated.

"I thought it was going to be louder," Simmons said postgame.

Expand Tweet

Considering all that Simmons has gone through, it’s understandable that he was expecting the worst.

The Brooklyn Nets still lost the game 115-106 against a shorthanded Sixers team. But Simmons had one of his best games of the season. He finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and three blocks.

The Aussie also added that he is in a good place now in Brooklyn.

"I feel like I'm in a good place," Simmons said.

"I'm happy, I'm doing what I love. So to be out there and have that experience was amazing. Obviously, it wasn't the result we wanted. It's frustrating to lose a game like that, but I think it's a good step forward," Simmons continued.

For more on Simmons' return to Philadelphia, click here.