Ben Simmons Had An Iverson Poster, Corn Rows At Age 7
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- June 26th, 1996. It was the 50th NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers had the first overall pick, and of course, they selected Allen Iverson.
Just 24 days later -- on July 20th, 1996, in Melbourne, Victoria in Australia -- Ben Simmons was born. And now 20 years later, the Sixers -- who once again owned the first overall pick -- selected Simmons.
Growing up playing basketball in Australia, while his father Dave was playing for the Brett Brown coached Melbourne Tigers, Simmons was an Iverson fan.
Watch: Ben Simmons Given A Cheesesteak On Jimmy Fallon
"Young, probably seven years old. I had the A.I. poster hanging up on my door," Simmons told CSNPhilly.com. "Little did everyone know, I was a Sixers fan."
Simmons was also rocking the Iverson corn rows, but eventually grew out of that phase.
"It wasn't my thing," Simmons said. I turned into a 6-10 point forward, so it didn't really fit."
Since the departure of Iverson, Sixers fans have endured a frustrated stretch of basketball including three straight seasons short of 20 wins. Simmons understands the pressure he carries to the city of brotherly love.
"A lot comes with it, Philly fans love their sports, but I'm just ready to put in the work," the 6'10", 240-pound versatile forward from LSU said. "I know it's gonna take a lot, but as long as I put in the work I know great things can happen.
"I think I'll be a point-forward [in the NBA]. So, anywhere I'm grabbing the ball, setting up plays, pushing the ball off the break I think that fits with me a lot."
