It seems safe to assume that Ben Simmons does not have many close friends in the Philadelphia 76ers’ locker room with the way he has acted over the past several months, but at least one star teammate is showing support for him.
Simmons will not play in Friday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. According to multiple reports, he has informed the Sixers that he is not mentally ready to suit up. Tobias Harris responded to one of those reports on Twitter and referred to Simmons as “our brother.”
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
It is noteworthy that a Sixers player publicly supported Simmons, especially when you take the events of the past week into consideration. Simmons was suspended for Philadelphia’s season opener on Wednesday night after he was kicked out of practice by Doc Rivers. Prior to that, he appeared totally disinterested during team workouts and dribbled off on his own at one point while players and coaches huddled up (video here).
The 76ers reportedly do not believe that Simmons is dealing with a genuine mental health issue. If he’s not, it’s possible the star point guard is merely exploiting a loophole in the collective bargaining agreement.
Harris may just be closer with Simmons than some other 76ers players. Joel Embiid made some harsh comments about Simmons earlier this week.
