- Ben Simmons, a former No. 1 pick, was amazed at this fan’s devotion to him
- Simmons looks to help the Brooklyn Nets this season after an eight-month layoff
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Ben Simmons’ NBA career has had its fair share of ups and downs.
But for fans, at least one in Brooklyn, the 27-year-old’s impact is so great that his face is permanently scarred on their skin.
After the Nets’ preseason loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons was caught in a moment of amusement and disbelief when a fan showed off his tattoo of Simmons’ face.
‘Who has a camera?’ Simmons said in the clip on the Nets X (twitter) page. “Show them your tattoo,” he tells the hardcore fan.
The fan then straightened his jersey, revealing the Simmons tattoo on his left chest as he begged for his idol’s game-worn jersey. The three-time All-Star, amused by this fan’s devotion, got his wish.
A diehard Brooklyn Nets fan shows off his Ben Simmons tattoo (left) to the man himself (right)
Simmons played his last game for the Brooklyn Nets in March before suffering a back injury
Simmons joined the Nets during the 2021-2022 season. The trade sent James Harden to the 76ers
Simmons joined the Nets in February 2022 after a feud with the 76ers.
The standoff with Philadelphia brought friction with former teammate Joel Embiid and was kicked out of practice by Doc Rivers for refusing to participate.
Simmons cited mental health issues for his absence from court. However, the period he spent advocating for a trade cost Simmons $1.4 million, making him the most fined player in NBA history.
After being traded to Brooklyn, Simmons sat out the remainder of the 2021-2022 season. He made his Nets debut on Opening Day, eight months after his arrival. Unfortunately, the way he played was noticeably worse than his years in Philadelphia.
In March 2023, Simmons was written off for the remainder of the 2022–23 season due to a back injury. The Nets managed to clinch a playoff spot, but were swept by the 76ers in the first round.
After the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Simmons and the Nets are looking to get back to the playoffs this season. Although the Nets are 1-2 in preseason games thus far, the Nets will play the Miami Heat on Wednesday before opening the regular season against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 25.