PHILADELPHIA — They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Except for the 76er fans booing Ben Simmons.
Brooklyn's Simmons has a background in Philadelphia and has returned to the Wells Fargo Center before, but he is well aware that he will continue to be booed by 76ers fans for the rest of his career.
But he's not afraid of it.
He feeds off of it.
“Yeah, I love it too,” said Simmons, who will lead the Nets back to Philadelphia tonight. “I love being in arenas where it's loud and people are booing. So that comes with the game. That's part of it. And I love that.”
Simmons played in 275 games over six years with the Sixers, but missed his rookie season with an injury and the 2021-22 season with mental health issues and back pain.
His indifference, reluctance to drive, and ultimately defiance made him a disgrace.
One fan famously paraded around town holding a placard that read “Fk Ben Simmons” even though he was still on the roster.
His divorce with the 76ers was ugly, and Simmons has been the subject of hatred from fans ever since he was traded to the Nets for James Harden.
“That's all you can boo,” Simmons shrugged.
This will be the fourth time Simmons has played at the Wells Fargo Center since being traded to the Nets.
He also missed one of last season's visits and the March 10 visit just weeks after arriving.
But Wells Fargo Center had to have increased security for his first game back, even though he was injured and couldn't play, and Philadelphia fans have elevated booing to an art form. he recognizes.
“Of course. That's the thing about Philadelphia, you know? Look, when I was in Philadelphia, I got booed when I didn't play well. So it goes both ways.” said Simmons. “But they're passionate fans. That's what makes Philadelphia so great and the fans so great.”
Simmons was clearly fired up about the win over Charlotte against Hornets star Brandon Miller.
He will take inspiration from the bile that is sure to come to the Wells Fargo Center.
“I really hope so, because it would be really cool,” Cam Johnson said. “Take a step back and look. And I think the great thing about being an athlete is that people really care. They might care about you or they might hate you. But the bottom line is that they care.
“They have someone to support, they have something to root for, and that's what drives our league and all the other professional leagues and sports as a whole. So that's something you have to accept. I hope he accepts it. Philadelphia has always been a little crazy and rowdy. They definitely have a lot to say when Ben comes to town. I just hope it gives me energy and I can feed off of it.”
If the Nets can turn that into positive energy and build back up around their point forwards, there's no doubt that a lot of negative energy will be directed at Simmons.
“Yeah, you have to do that as a competitor,” Brooklyn center Nick Claxton said. “If people are booing you, they don't boo people they're not interested in. That means you're a stakeholder. That means you're in their minds. It can be taken as a thing.”
