A lot has changed since we last saw Ben Simmons on a basketball court.
It was 470 days ago, and Simmons was still on the 76ers, the team that drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Simmons won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, and the Melbourne-born hooper made three All-Star appearances during his time with Philadelphia.
But after struggling at the free-throw line and passing up the opportunity for an easy layup in the postseason, Simmons was never able to assimilate back into the fold in Philadelphia. After stepping away from the team, Philadelphia finally traded Simmons to Brooklyn on Feb. 10.
Although back issues kept Simmons on the sidelines during the playoff run for the Nets, and he has been open about his struggles with mental health as well, he is expected to finally take the floor with Brooklyn for the first time this evening.
Of course, after everything that went down, it’s objectively hilarious that the first preseason game for Simmons is against his former team.
Fortunately, however, the game is in Brooklyn and not in Philadelphia so the crowd should be a bit more welcoming. Additionally, Simmons will have the luxury of playing alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Although there were rumors that both Durant and Irving would get traded this offseason, the two future Hall of Famers will return to the Nets, and that should make life a lot easier for Simmons. At full strength, the five-man core for Brooklyn looks tough to beat.
Simmons, who never made a 3-pointer during the regular season while with the 76ers, will break Twitter if he starts shooting from beyond the arc during this exhibition match.