“He can never go back, they will never forgive him, because they view him as a coward" - Stephen A. Smith says Ben Simmons is antithesis of everything Allen Iverson personified

This year, there was no bigger story in the NBA than Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers. Following their playoff exit in 2021, Simmons decided he wanted a change of scenery after being on the receiving end of heavy criticism.

While Simmons may have desired a trade, the Sixers made it clear they had no intention of letting him go for cheap. The offseason came and went, and there was still no trade.

Sixers President Daryl Morey kept searching for a reasonable return for Ben Simmons. As this dragged on into the regular season, the multi-time All-Star stayed away from the team. The saga left a dark cloud over the Sixers until the Australian was shipped to Brooklyn at the trade deadline in exchange for James Harden.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was recently a guest on JJ Redick's "The Old Man & The Three" podcast. During his appearance, Smith mentioned that he feels Ben Simmons is the complete opposite of Sixers legend and Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson. Primarily because of Simmons' decision to stay away from the team while he awaited a trade. Smith said:

"He can never go back. They will never forgive him, ever. Because they view him as a corward... Philadelphia believes he is a coward. Philadephia believes he is the antithesis of everything Allen Iverson personified."

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Is Stephen A. Smith right in his assessment of Ben Simmons and Allen Iverson?

There is a reason why Allen Iverson is still worshiped in the city of Philadelphia to this day. It is a town that adores hard-working athletes, and he is a testament to that.

Despite being undersized and not always having the best team around him, Iverson always left everything out there on the court. Later in the interview, Smith told Redick that Iverson thrived in the high-pressure moments.

"The brighter the lights, the bigger the challenge, the more he welcomed it."

This reason, among many others, is why Stephen A. Smith views Ben Simmons and Allen Iverson as polar opposites.

Simmons refused to shoot three-point jumpers in games, no matter how detrimental it was to the rest of the team. Meanwhile, Iverson never made excuses.

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Stephen A. Smith is spot on about one thing. Simmons will never receive a homecoming like the ones Iverson got. He was always a polarizing player and holding out in the manner he did was the final strike for most Philadelphia fans.

Whether he wants to admit it or not, Simmons burned a bridge in Philadelphia. No matter how essential of a piece he was during his time with the Sixers, how things ended will always be the narrative that follows him.