Ben Simmons is still missing long dunks, making Sixers fans laugh

Ben Simmons is back on the pitch for the first time since February – and he’s gotten off to a difficult start.

Simmons, who was drafted by the Sixers with the first overall pick in 2016, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden in 2022, but he hasn’t played much since the deal.

After suffering a back injury as a member of the Sixers, Simmons continued to battle injuries in Brooklyn. He played 42 games in his first season with the Nets and only 15 games in the 2023-24 season.

Now, after a full offseason, Simmons is back to start the year. In his first three games, Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Even with a good game, Simmons found a way to cause mishaps. In the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks, Simmons forced a turnover and caused a two-on-one break. But instead of converting a simple finish, he missed an open look and distributed it to a defending teammate. Even the announcers were in disbelief at Simmons’ refusal to attempt a shot.

The Nets finally got their first win of the season, but Simmons had already managed to excite Sixers fans. He also missed a dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. The 6-foot-11 Simmons chose to pass the ball to a teammate instead of going to the rim and attempting a dunk.

Even his death wasn’t sharp. Simmons has 12 turnovers in his first three games.

During the offseason, Simmons’ coach posted a video of him taking jump shots with the caption, “Ready to make an impact on the court.” But the early returns didn’t show much improvement on Simmons’ part.

He even ran afoul of a fan who greeted Simmons after a game and then called him “trash” after the Nets forward spurned him.

“Why didn’t you say it when I was there?” Simmons responded before teammate Dennis Schroder stepped up to defend him.

The Sixers will see Simmons up close on November 22nd when the Nets visit Philadelphia in the group stage of the NBA Cup.