Why do Some NBA Fans Dislike Ben Simmons? Dame Lillard Weighs in

Philadelphia 76ers' former first-overall pick Ben Simmons is a two-time All-Star in three seasons. Despite being considered a star in the NBA, though, Simmons has his fair share of haters. That's just the way it goes.

The amount of criticism Simmons receives season after season is somewhat puzzling. And typically, it makes a lot of fans wonder why Simmons gets the amount of hate that he does by fans all over.

So recently, a fan of Portland Trail Blazers star Dame Lillard was asked why the Sixers star receives so much hate during an impromptu Twitter Q&A session -- and Lillard weighed in on the situation in defense of Simmons.

“People” will always hate. That’s just the way it is https://t.co/pkcSqqtUfM
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) September 4, 2020

Why do people hate on Ben Simmons? "People will always hate," Lillard responded. "That's just the way it is." Lillard has seen his fair share of hate throughout his eight seasons in the NBA. Despite being one of the best point guards in the league, Lillard is undoubtedly no stranger to criticism -- especially on social media applications such as Twitter.

While both Lillard and Simmons' accolades and statistics should speak for themselves, it's extremely difficult for basketball stars, who are under a microscope, to dodge criticism. Every NBA player has their strengths and weaknesses, and unfortunately, critics will only point out the latter to justify not being fond of a player. As Lillard says, "that's just the way it is" for an NBA superstar.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_