Ben Simmons Suspended For Refusing Practice Drill

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Channeling the last great Sixers point guard in a way that no one expected or wanted, Ben Simmons has been suspended for one game for refusing to participate in a practice drill, according to a team announcement and multiple media reports.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers asked Simmons several times to join a drill, and Simmons refused, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic's Sham Charania first reported. Rivers then told Simmons to go home, and Simmons dropped the ball he was holding and left.

Reports characterize the behavior as typical for Simmons in his first three days back with the team, after a summer of wild discontent in which the four-time All Star demanded to be traded and told Sixers brass he never wanted to play for Philadelphia again.

Wojnarowski cited a consistent "reluctance to physically and mentally engage" since his return. Similar reports came out of Houston just one year ago, when superstar James Harden demanded a trade from the Rockets and reportedly became a locker room liability.

The Sixers themselves did not elaborate on the situation, and simply said that Simmons would miss a game due to "conduct detrimental to the team."

Simmons' Sixers teammates were less than thrilled.

"At this point I don't care about that man, honestly," Joel Embiid told ESPN. "He does whatever he wants."

It's been just under 20 years since Allen Iverson took to the podium for an infamous oratorical performance following his own missed practice.

From that point on, Iverson would lead the Sixers to five more playoff appearances, win a fourth scoring title, and cement a resume that would eventually land him in the NBA Hall of Fame. Sixers fans can only hope Simmons, still only 25, has something similar left in the tank.

The Sixers open their 2021-22 season Wednesday night in New Orleans against the Pelicans.