Tobias Harris Urges Fans and Media to Support, Not Neglect Ben Simmons

On the morning of their home opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers once again reunited with their three-time All-Star, Ben

On the morning of their home opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers once again reunited with their three-time All-Star, Ben Simmons. The last time Sixers players saw Simmons, he was cited as a "distraction" in practice by head coach Doc Rivers.

As Simmons refused to participate in practice, he was told to go home. After getting kicked out, Simmons was slapped with a one-game suspension, being forced to miss the regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Although Rivers was responsible for telling Simmons to take a walk on Tuesday, the Sixers head coach made it clear that if the veteran guard wanted to return to the team later in the week, he would be welcomed back as he remains a member of the team.

Finally, for the first time this season, Ben Simmons addressed his teammates in a Friday morning meeting. While Rivers and other members of the Sixers roster declined to reveal specific details on the meeting, the majority belief around the team is that the meeting was a step in the right direction.

And after Friday night's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Tobias Harris expanded on a tweet that he wrote earlier in the day in support of the disgruntled Ben Simmons.

And we’ll respect his privacy and space during this time. When he’s ready, we will embrace our brother with love and handle our business on the court. That's it, that's all. https://t.co/eardjmQbz8

— τobias Harris (@tobias31) October 22, 2021

"I think this is obviously a good start, but I'll say like, I think at this time we have to respect his privacy and his space," Harris said on Friday. "We've gotta be there for him throughout what he's going through and this process. It's easy to look at something on the surface and come to assumptions on a lot of things -- especially athletes. In this space, you're depicted as superhuman and not supposed to have feelings or go through anything. I think we have to really understand it's human first, you know?"

Since Game 7 last season, Simmons has yet to address the situation. Therefore, his current feelings are unknown to the public. However, it seems Simmons laid it all out there for his coaches and teammates, and now Harris is urging everybody to support the young star as he goes through a tough time.

"He's going through something, and we have to respect that and be there for him as a team, organization, fans, all the way down the line," Harris continued. "When he's in here putting on a show and helping us get wins, everybody's cheering and praising. We live in a 'what have you done for me lately?' world. So, when that's not the case, it's easy to turn it around. I think at this time, he needs more support than neglect. I think we just gotta be there for him as a team, and I relayed that to the group. I hope that message is loud enough for the fans and everybody around the organization and, honestly, you guys as well -- the media. You guys have a job as well, and I understand the field that you're in, but you guys gotta understand that we're talking about a person that has a family and has emotions. He's a great person as well, so we gotta really respect that and just don't do everything for the clicks -- for the clickbait. Understand that we are a team. You guys, the media, we are a team. We win games, and it helps your job and makes your job easier. So, I think you got to look at that as a collective effort as well."

All signs are beginning to point towards Ben Simmons suiting up and playing for the 76ers again later on down the line. Right now, he's just not mentally ready to take the court for Philadelphia. Perhaps, the negative reception he might receive from fans could play a part in him being hesitant to play on game night. Therefore, Harris is urging everybody to take a step back and re-think how they would react to Simmons playing for the 76ers again as the All-Star is clearly going through a lot. 

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