Nets Ben Simmons Looking Forward to Playing in Philadelphia F K I Can t Wait to Go There Sports Illustrated Brooklyn Nets News Analysis and More
Nets' Ben Simmons Looking Forward to Playing in Philadelphia F--K I Can t Wait to Go There - Sports Illustrated Brooklyn Nets News, Analysis and More Skip to main content Sign In October 14, 2022NewsSI.COMNewsSI.COMHomeInside The NetsNews Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Ben Simmons Looking Forward to Playing in Philadelphia F--K I Can t Wait to Go There Ben Simmons is in a great place in Brooklyn and the star can't wait till make his official return to PhiladelphiaAuthor:Chris MilholenPublish date: Oct 14, 2022 2:22 PM EDTAfter a nasty departure from the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons is in a great place with the Brooklyn Nets. The star has breathed confidence and is not only ready to prove himself but already has the highly anticipated matchup against the Sixers at Wells Fargo on Nov. 22 in his mind. Although Simmons returned to Philadelphia in street clothes last season, he got a sneak peek at how the Sixers fanbase will greet and treat him for 48 minutes. In the preseason opener, he played 19 minutes against Philly but that was on Brooklyn's home soil. Come Nov. 22, Simmons, barring any injury setbacks, will take the Wells Fargo Center hardwood against his old team. And he can't wait for that game. "F---, I can't wait to go there, yeah," Simmons told ESPN. "But for me, everything's an experience and a learning situation. So for me I'm able to learn something that I've never been through before. I've never been traded and played against a team that I got traded from. Kev has, Ky has, a lot of guys have, but I've never been in that situation so -- you have to go through it. Ky went back to Boston, and he didn't play well, but it's a lot. We're people, too. We want to go out there and prove everyone wrong." The relationship between Simmons and the city of Philadelphia is one that will take a lot of time to repair. That's if the relationship can even be fixed. The passionate Sixers fanbase has blasted the Nets star in all avenues and it's likely the destroyed relationship will prolong for years to come. Simmons can't predict how things can evolve between the two. Scroll to Continue Read More Ben Simmons Reveals Thoughts on HatersOct 13, 2022 7:21 PM EDT Ben Simmons Reacts to Video of Viral Air BallOct 13, 2022 5:22 PM EDT Giannis Antetokounmpo Reacts to Nets Loss Winless Pre-SeasonOct 13, 2022 3:55 PM EDT"Who knows? I can't predict the future," Simmons said. "I would have never told myself this would have gone this way at the start of my career. Who knows if in four or five years I end up going back? I don't know. It could be a whole different situation, but for now I don't want to make my mind up and say it's not possible for anything to change." Before the preseason opener against the Sixers, Doc Rivers quickly dismissed a question about Simmons, emphasizing he has moved on from the 26-year-old. The same goes with Simmons' relationship with his former star teammate, Joel Embiid. He explained how he doesn't talk with Embiid today and looking back at their time together in Philly, he doesn't see a relationship with no bad blood. "I don't think there was really a relationship there," Simmons said. "Like in terms of a friendship? You can try as hard as you want to try to be close to somebody, be their friend, whatever it is, but everyone is different as people, so for me, it's never personal. I don't have any anger or hate towards him. He is who he is and I am who I am. And we've got our personal lives. And work is basketball, so in that moment, my goal is to win and I got to win with Jo. He's a great player, we just didn't get it done." Now in Brooklyn, Simmons wants to help the Nets win their first elusive NBA championship -- a task he couldn't get done in Philly. To win an NBA title alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would mean everything to the 26-year-old star. "It would mean everything," Simmons stated. "To me, that would be a dream come true. In a situation like this, being in Brooklyn with these guys and this city, it would be incredible. But we got a long way to go, but I think this team's capable of special things." In This Article 3 Philadelphia 76ersBrooklyn NetsMinnesota Timberwolves News Ben Simmons Reveals Thoughts on HatersBy Joey LinnOct 13, 2022 7:21 PM EDTNews Ben Simmons Reacts to Video of Viral Air BallBy Farbod EsnaashariOct 13, 2022 5:22 PM EDTNews Giannis Antetokounmpo Reacts to Nets Loss Winless Pre-SeasonBy Joey LinnOct 13, 2022 3:55 PM EDTNews The Brooklyn Nets Announce New SigningBy Joey LinnOct 12, 2022 11:50 PM EDTNews Injury Update Nets Optimistic Joe Harris Returns for Season OpenerBy Farbod EsnaashariOct 12, 2022 11:33 PM EDTNews Report Kyrie Irving Leaving Kevin Durant For Lakers in Free AgencyBy Joey LinnOct 12, 2022 11:21 PM EDTNews Kevin Durant Urges Ben Simmons to Be AggressiveBy Joey LinnOct 11, 2022 10:41 PM EDTNews Kevin Durant Reveals Current Vibes of Brooklyn Nets TeamBy Joey LinnOct 11, 2022 9:32 PM EDTLoading…See MoreCLOSECLOSECLOSECLOSE