How Ben Simmons went from "the next LeBron" to being a Philly bust

Ben Simmons' time as a Philadelphia 76er is seen as a failure. After a horrific 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals loss against the Atlanta Hawks, what followed was a head-spinning offseason filled with finger-pointing, reports of mental health issues, and a city turning on their once bright star, leaving Ben wanting out of Philly. It was a messy situation, and whether or not you believe all the blame unfairly fell on Ben’s shoulders, his time as a Sixer is seen as a waste.

However, failure often comes from great expectations, and Ben had lofty hopes placed upon him as he entered the league. He grew from an unknown international prospect to dominating competition stateside. Dubbed the next LeBron James. The final missing piece for a rebuilding franchise searching for its first title in decades. Let’s meet those versions of Ben Simmons in the prism.

Correction: at 6:32, attribution should be Julius Erving. Also, at 10:54, the attribution should be Brett Brown

Written and produced by: Joe Ali
Directed and edited by: Ryan Simmons

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