Ben Simmons: 76ers reunion game will be ‘fun’

Ben Simmons will play the 76ers for the first time since the franchise that drafted the No. 1 overall pick sold him to the Brooklyn Nets as of Deadline.

After a Tuesday morning shooting, Simmons said it “feels good to be back” at the Wells Fargo Center and that he was “locked up” and “ready to play” against the 76ers.

Ben Simmons after this morning’s #BrooklynNets Shootaround at Wells Fargo Center: “It feels good to be back. It feels good to be back. I’m ready to go, locked up. So I’m ready to play.”

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

The Nets (8-9) head to Philly on a back-to-back winning streak after defeating the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies. Simmons comes into the game with significant baggage from his senior year in which he sat out the season for mental health issues, in addition to public concerns about his lack of aggression. After moving to the Nets, Simmons sat out the rest of the regular season and playoffs with a back injury that eventually required surgery in May.

When asked about the prospect of his return being anticlimactic because Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden aren’t playing, Simmons said that “the fans will make it up to you” and that he knows his first game at the Wells Fargo Center a Philly uniform will be filled with lots of boos

“Yeah, so I’m looking forward to it. It will be fun.”

Ben Simmons on whether his return to Philly is anticlimactic given Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden don’t play for them #six: “I mean, the fans will make up for it. Yes, I’m looking forward to it. It will be fun.”
Simmons knows he’s going to hear a lot of boos.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

Philly-Brooklyn takes place at 7:30 a.m. with TNT presenting the game.