Ben Simmons has yet to play a single minute for the Philadelphia 76ers this season amid a looming divorce from the team. But some players still believe he deserves to play in the NBA All-Star Game.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, two NBA players voted for Simmons to be a starter for the East in the All-Star Game this year. Simmons probably wouldn’t be eligible to play even if all of the starters opted out or couldn’t play.
But head-scratching votes for the All-Star Game are about as much of a tradition as the game itself. Case in point: Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving received 25 player votes despite playing in just seven games this season.
Last year we saw players like Nate Hinton, Bismack Biyombo, Theo Maledon and Aleksej Pokusevski get player votes too. So it’s safe to say that players don’t always treat the All-Star Game voting like they’re voting for members of Congress.
Two players voted for Ben Simmons as an All-Star starter in the East. https://t.co/6RQWA2kQpd
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 28, 2022
Ben Simmons is officially out due to an injury, but just about everyone knows that the real reason he hasn’t played is because of his desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers. And at this point, it’s hard to blame him.
Simmons took a pounding from fans after they failed to advance in the playoffs last season. He put up historically poor numbers as they lost to the Atlanta Hawks in seven games.
Since the offseason began, Simmons has made it pretty clear that he’s ready to move on. The hold up has been the 76ers’ inability to get maximum value for the three-time All-Star.
Will Ben Simmons ever represent the 76ers in the All-Star Game again?
The post Look: 2 Players Voted For Ben Simmons As All-Star Starter appeared first on The Spun.