It's been quite a while since Ben Simmons last showed his face at Wells Fargo Center. And even though he won't be cleared to play, he's set to make his Philadelphia comeback, this time with the Brooklyn Nets.
Needless to say, Simmons is far from a fan favorite at the City of Brotherly Love. Some fans feel like he mistreated the organization and aren't exactly going to welcome him with cheers and a big round of applause.
But even though Simmons and the Sixers ended up on pretty bad terms, coach Doc Rivers isn't opposed to the idea of him getting a tribute video, as he believes he did enough merits to earn that.
NBA News: Doc Rivers Says He Wouldn't Be Against A Tribute Video For Ben Simmons
"Ben did a lot of good things here," Rivers told the media. "It didn't end well. Just like marriages and all kinds of other things don't end well. But Ben did a lot of good things here. So I didn't know if we are or not but if we did, I'd have no issues with it."
Stephen A. Smith Says Sixers Fans Will 'Eat Simmons For Breakfast'
That's not what ESPN's Stephen A. Smith thinks. If anything, he claims that Sixers fans could only aggravate Simmons' alleged mental health issues, as they're going to give him one of the most hostile welcomes the league has ever seen:
"It would be very very bad for him," Smith said. "If it's a mental issue as it pertains to the Philadelphia 76ers fan base, as a guy that was a reporter and columnist in Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Inquirer for seventeen years, I can assure you as much as my skin is black, I can guarantee you, that moment when that brother shows up in Philadelphia, they will be waiting for him. Because they know, in their minds, they can get to him. And now that he's a part of the opposition, they are going to eat him for breakfast."
Sixers fans are known for being ruthless and Simmons sure did more than enough to piss them off. He'll try to get it over with now that he won't be able to play but that's not a night he'll forget any time soon.
