Former Sixer Ben Simmons Wasn’t a Crowd Favorite at U.S. Open

When attending the U.S. Open this weekend to watch Tennis great Serena Williams compete, Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons got another preview of what it will be like when he pays a visit to compete against the Philadelphia 76ers this upcoming season.

Last year, Simmons was a member of the Sixers for more than half the 2021-2022 season. Although he was on the roster for his fifth NBA season, a disgruntled Simmons refused to play. As Simmons wanted to be traded, he stayed true to a holdout.

Eventually, Simmons got his wish. In a blockbuster trade with the Nets, the Sixers sent away Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and draft picks to receive James Harden and Paul Millsap.

Once Simmons was traded to Brooklyn, Philly fans circled March 10th on their calendars as that’s when Simmons was slated to make his return to South Philly. When that date rolled around, Simmons had yet to make his Nets debut, as a back injury prevented him from taking the floor.

Despite being ruled out for the matchup against the Sixers, Simmons still took the court for pregame warmups. As expected, he was met with a wave of boos when he walked out from the visitor’s locker room and showed his face in front of Sixers fans for the first time since requesting a trade.

It seems Simmons generated a similar reaction at the U.S. Open. As one of many celebrities in attendance, Simmons was displayed on the Jumbotron, and unlike anybody else, he received a negative reaction from the spectators in attendance.

Everybody gets cheered at U.S. Open

Well except… Ben Simmons 😂
https://t.co/Nq6kgWbYhd
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 3, 2022

While there might’ve been some Sixers fans in attendance, it seems Simmons’ actions over the past year caused a negative reaction from people outside of Philly’s fan base as well.

Perhaps, Simmons can fix his image when he retakes the floor this year for the Nets. As his last appearance in Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021 playoffs was a lousy final look from the former first-overall pick, Simmons will have an opportunity to prove he’s still an All-Star caliber player when he takes the court in October.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.