Ben Simmons takes the bench for the first time in Philly since the 2021 Playoffs, and Shaquille O’Neal is glad that he did.
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The 25-year-old All-NBA guard returns to his former home in Philadelphia when the Sixers take on the Nets on Thursday inside Wells Fargo Center. Since his trade to Brooklyn last month at the transfer deadline, it will be the first time Ben Simmons will directly face the Sixers fans.
The deal that saw James Harden swap jerseys with the 6’11 point guard came in as a relief for most fans and also everyone on the Sixers management. They might not have got half the value of the trade they got, had Harden felt comfortable in Brooklyn.
As things stand, Sixers got lucky. But that wouldn’t stop the hostile Philly fans to welcome their 3x All-Star back.
F–k Ben Simmons chants in Philly 😳 pic.twitter.com/lficDU2pOw
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 11, 2022
They might be hostile, but Shaq believes Simmons did the appropriate thing, not avoiding it.
Had Ben Simmons not been on the Nets bench, Shaquille O’Neal would’ve known “a lot about him”
Simmons did not suit up for his new team to take the court against his former employers, as he is dealing with a back issue. But still, he decided to be present courtside and face his demon, which he’s been avoiding for far too long.
It will be the first time that Ben will be in the building since Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 playoffs. He believes he had his reasons to do so, and Shaquille O’Neal is glad that he didn’t avoid the fans this time and is sitting on the bench.
“I’m glad he’s sitting on the bench, because if he didn’t that would’ve told me a lot about him.”@SHAQ & Chuck weigh in on Ben Simmons’ decision to join the Nets in Philly pic.twitter.com/8WDnRLG29D
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 11, 2022
It would have raised several questions such as, why a 3x All-Star and a 2x All-Defensive first team doesn’t have the gut to face his fear? Does he not believe that what he did was right and necessary? Is he not good enough to again be the face of an NBA franchise? And many such questions along that line.
That is why Shaq is happy that Ben came to Philly to face his worst fear and be done with it for when he takes on the court when they face each other next time, which if they do, will be a Playoff game.
