Ben Simmons on playing in Philadelphia: ‘For the most part, it was incredible’

Earlier this week, Brooklyn Nets guard and former Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons appeared on fellow former Sixer JJ Redick’s podcast, “The Old Man & The Three.” The entire episode is set to release Thursday, but a snippet of Simmons’ interview was shared Wednesday evening that centered on Simmons’ time in Philadelphia.

By and large, Simmons’ review of his tenure in the City of Brotherly Love was glowing. He described being a Philadelphia athlete as “unique” and noted being in Brooklyn is a “completely different” experience. He said he still owns an apartment in Philadelphia and has “friends for life there,” including his brother who still resides in the area.

“I value that time I did spend in Philly ‘cause I was able to learn and grow in that city,” Simmons said. “Philly’s great. I think people have like a thought that I think that I hate it.”

Simmons said his experience playing in Philadelphia was “incredible” and considers the fanbase “unbelievable.” He called it a “sports city” and said “people just want to have something to say about f*cking anything,” referencing an example in which he’d post a photo of a dog or car and reporters would demand he be in the gym.

I’m sure this brief clip will not be the only time Simmons’ Sixers history is mentioned throughout the podcast, so if you’re interested in hearing more of his perspective, check out the episode in full on Thursday.