Former 76ers player ticks off fans with bold Ben Simmons statement

Ben Simmons has gone down as one of the biggest what-ifs of the early 21st century simply because of his jump shot, or lack thereof. Simmons’ inability to extend his shooting range handicapped his NBA ceiling and was the root cause of his Philadelphia 76ers tenure prematurely ending. 

However, Patrick Beverley believes things would’ve turned out differently for Simmons if he hadn’t landed in Philadelphia.

“If [Simmons] would’ve went to [small-market team] to start without all of the harsh backlash that he got from fans, media, and all of that, he probably would’ve had a [three-point shot],” Beverley said on his podcast “Pat Bev Pod,” Wednesday.”

Pat Bev isn’t entirely wrong

It's unfair to judge a player’s mentality from the outside looking in. Still, there’s reason to believe that Simmons struggled in high-pressure situations during his time with the 76ers. Philadelphia athletes must have thick skin as fans can sometimes be ruthless if a player isn’t performing to their standard or if their team is struggling. 

Simmons endured the fans’ full wrath during and after the 76ers’ Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. He was Philadelphia’s fourth-leading scorer in the series and averaged an underwhelming 9.9 points per game. The former first overall pick also infamously passed up a pivotal layup in Game 7, which is still discussed in awe to this day.

“I was in such a bad place where I was like, f**k, I'm trying to get here and you guys are, like, throwing all these other things at me to where you're not helping. And that's all I wanted, was help,” Simmons said to J.J. Redick on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast in September 2022. 

Pat Bev also isn’t necessarily right

It’s natural to believe that a player who struggles in the limelight could thrive in more of a scaled-down environment. However, in Simmons’ case, it might’ve amplified his issues.

If the three-time all-star was drafted by a small-market team that’s either rebuilding or content with mediocrity, he’d likely become the cornerstone of that franchise. With the organization catering to him, Simmons may not feel the need to strengthen his weaknesses – namely his outside shot.

Some people believed Simmons would break through once the 76ers dealt him to the Brooklyn Nets on February 10th, 2022. However, his change of scenery made little difference. Yes, there were other factors at play like his nagging back injury and instability within Brooklyn’s former star trio. Still, Simmons didn’t attempt a single three during his two and a half years with the Nets.