Ben Simmons' star has fallen in Philadelphia. Sixers coach Doc Rivers and every player reached for comment say they would welcome the All Star back with open arms despite his sitting out the pre-season to wait to be traded to another team. But no matter where Simmons starts the season, or whose jersey he wears, fan reaction to him will be newsworthy.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham says he can sympathize.
Graham is a Philadelphia sports legend and will eventually be in the team's Hall Of Fame. But that future was not so certain back in 2010, when he was the team's 10th overall pick out of Michigan.
BG got off to a slow start and was eviscerated publicly. Fans and media called him a "bust." On Wednesday's 94WIP Morning Show, the 33-year-old had some advice for the 25-year-old Simmons.
"At first I felt like him, because it was tough. I was getting the same treatment he was getting," Graham told Angelo Cataldi, referring to the start of his tenure in Philadelphia.
Graham says it might be worse for Simmons, because basketball players stand out more.
"When I wasn't playing so good, people wanted me out of the city. They wanted me cut and all of that. It got to me, and I didn't want to be here, and I had to fight against that, and I did," he said. "And the way you handle that is how you go out there and play and perform. And so I focused in more on my craft and not worried about what other people had to say. That's when I felt like things started to change for me."
BG recorded just 13 tackles and three sacks in 13 games as a rookie before suffering a torn ACL, costing him most of his sophomore NFL season.
Simmons' path is a bit different. As the No. 1 overall pick, Simmons fought through a foot injury keeping him off of the court in his first NBA season, but he came out of the gate strong, winning rookie of the year, reaching three All-Star teams in four seasons, and making two all-NBA defensive teams.
However, Simmons seems to have plateaued, and his shooting woes, in the eyes of many, are costing the Sixers chances at deep title runs.
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After a poor performance in the team's second-round playoff exit against the Hawks this past postseason, Simmons has publicly asked for a trade, turning the city of Philadelphia against him. However, months have gone by and there has not been a trade. With the season less than a week away now, Simmons has returned to the Sixers — at least for now — causing a somewhat awkward situation with his teammates, his coaches, and his fans.
Graham says the only thing Simmons can do is put his head down and go to work.
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"It's hard to tell people how to feel, but how I feel about it for Ben is to just come in, put your head down and get working," Graham said. "If you're gonna be here — and hopefully you doing what you haven't been doing, like you said — dunking when you're supposed to, even shooting threes, or whatever it is the fans want you to do -- you do it. And then you start getting better and doing things that you normally wouldn't do. Then I think all will be forgiven. Just come in and work."