Sixers: 3 reasons Ben Simmons lost the fanbase

3 reasons Ben Simmons has lost the Sixers fanbase: No heart

Without confidence, it is impossible to play professional sports. For Simmons, he got there, but somehow that confidence has left him. Who knows how or when diffidence crept into his game and laid eggs, but Simmons’ play has become as thin as Trae Young’s hair. Speaking of Trae Young…

At a game two seasons ago, I was in the stands of the Wells Fargo Center, and at the time Simmons was playing small. I stood up and yelled, “ You’re 6-10, Ben!” Did he hear me? Who knows. My frustration that game was so high that I felt the need to remind him that he was one of the biggest and strongest players on the court. Essentially, he was playing like he was almost a foot shorter. It was as if he played at Trae Young’s stature, but without the heart.

Can you imagine if Simmons had the heart of Trae Young or even his own teammate, Tyrese Maxey? At Game 5 in the Atlanta series, I witnessed Maxey get a standing ovation as he entered the game for the first time. He replaced Simmons, and the irony is that Maxey could very well take over starting point guard duties in the near future. Ever wonder why Maxey is already a beloved figure on the Sixers? You guessed it — the kid has heart.

It is the same heart that Allen Iverson played with. The comparison might be a stretch right now, but in terms of sheer determination, Maxey’s play parallels Iverson. Although one might expect a taller, faster, and more athletic Simmons to attack NBA defenses like a battering ram, we have seen how timid he has become. Moving forward, this is a serious problem.

The problem is not that he lost confidence because, essentially, he could gain it back. It is that Simmons has been given chance after chance to show heart, especially in the playoffs when teams tighten their defense and dare him to shoot. I cannot imagine this city forgiving him after passing the ball to Matisse Thybulle instead of dunking on Trae Young’s head. That shot would have tied the game.

At this point, Simmons needs to question his competitive drive. For the 76ers organization, it is probably too late to see if he does anything about it.