Ben Simmons, once a consistent all-star, has seen a significant decline in his performance since his last playoff run with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, in a recent interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Simmons expressed his continued affection for Philadelphia and his openness to a potential return if he were to be traded again.
Reflecting on his time in the city, Simmons acknowledged that while it was the right time for him to leave, he had a great experience and fond memories of his time there.
“I had a lot of fun there,” Simmons said when asked to reflect on his time in the city. “It was time for me to go. When I did leave, it was good timing. Obviously, the injury and everything that was going on didn’t help. But I think it gave me a chance to really appreciate it. I’ll always have love for Philly. People always ask me like, ‘If you were to get traded again where you want it to be?’ I always say, ‘Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me.’ And in time, you learn and grow as people. I don’t really have anything bad to say about Philly. It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is.”
Former Sixer Ben Simmons (via AndScape): “I’ll always have love for Philly. People always ask ‘if you were to get traded again where would you want it to be?’ I always say ‘Just Philly’.” #Sixers pic.twitter.com/d5h6yxOQR3
— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 29, 2023
Despite the challenges he faced, including injuries and other issues, Simmons still holds a deep appreciation for the city and considers it a second home. He emphasized that he has no ill feelings towards Philadelphia and has learned and grown from the situation.
Ultimately, Simmons views his time in Philly as a complex and intense chapter of his career, but one that he still cherishes.
Selected as the top overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, this 6’10 playmaker had excellent prospects of becoming a cornerstone for the Philadelphia franchise after a successful first three seasons.
However, Simmons’ memorable decision not to take a shot during a critical moment in Game 7, resulting in a loss to the underdog Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, drastically altered his status with the Sixers and their star player, Joel Embiid.
Consequently, this incident led to Simmons requesting a trade, which extended into the subsequent season as he refused to participate in team activities.
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