Aussie NBA star Ben Simmons has copped the wrath of livid 76ers followers in his extremely anticipated return to Philadelphia.
One month after his refusal to play for the franchise noticed him swapped with James Harden in a blockbuster trade to the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons returned to the court docket he known as residence throughout 5 NBA seasons.
Within the video above: Philly followers’ brutal assaults on Simmons
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It wasn’t a reasonably reception for the 25-year-old, who sat on the bench nursing a again criticism as his new Brooklyn teammates beat the 76ers 129-100.
They brutal time out began exterior the workforce resort in Philadelphia the place followers taunted Simmons for the style in which he left the 76ers.
“Why the grievance? Why spit in the face of Sixers fans? Why the grievance? Why the grievance, Ben?” one indignant fan yelled at him.
“We did nothing but support you for five years, you know that.”
The reception solely obtained extra heated from there as Simmons entered the Wells Fargo Centre to a deafening refrain of boos on Friday morning (AEDT).
A chat of “f*** Ben Simmons” was quickly heard all through the world.
Broadcaster NBC Sports activities even featured a barely unusual private assault from a person dressed as an enormous cry child down at court docket degree.
The person, sporting Simmons’ 76ers jersey with the label ‘crybaby Ben’, was seen enjoying up to the cameras because the Australian’s Brooklyn workforce warmed up.
Tons of of 76ers followers have been later heard cruelly fake-cheering Ben as he dunked the ball throughout warm-ups, as you’ll be able to see in the video on the high of the web page.
The mocking cheers have been a reference to the guard’s lack of ability to rating factors in Philadelphia’s failed 2021 playoff run.
Native reporters courtside on the sport additionally talked about that Simmons and former teammate, All-Star Joel Embiid, failed to acknowledge one another pre-game, after Embiid swiped Simmons in latest months for his failure to return to the workforce.
Fortunately Simmons has the backing of his present Brooklyn teammates, with NBA famous person Kevin Durant calling the private assaults from followers “childish” pre-game.
Australian Boomers star Patty Mills, who joined the Nets in the low season, was additionally available to stand by Simmons as he stepped onto the court docket for the primary time for the warm-ups.
“He’s got to just sit there and just take a bunch of people just being childish and throwing insults his way because he didn’t want to play basketball for them no more,” Durant stated.
However Durant stated he wouldn’t supply any recommendation to Simmons, saying he’d have to expertise it for himself and may even discover a few of it amusing.
“I mean, the guy’s making $40 million ($A55m) a year,” Durant stated.
“You could take that for a couple hours, and I’m sure Ben has that approach.”
