‘Scared of the lights’ – NBA fans make fun of Ben Simmons after reports of Knicks, Warriors interest

Ben Simmons is back in the NBA after signing with the Sacramento Kings, but his other reported suitors have led to the former All-Star catching some heat online.

Ben Simmons is arguably the greatest ‘what if’ in modern NBA history. The Australian star was earning comparisons to LeBron James early in his career, but his career almost ended before the King’s.

Simmons will be back on a roster for the 2026-27 season, though, having signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. There were some concerns about whether he would find a spot, but it has worked out in the end.

According to reports, the 30-year-old had multiple suitors as well. And considering that some of them were roles with higher expectations, fans have taken the opportunity to poke some fun at Simmons.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote that the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks were among the teams interested in signing the former Sixers star, but he chose Sacramento instead.

The Knicks are reigning champions and the Warriors are looking for a difference-maker to add to their shallow roster. The fact that Simmons chose to go to a lower-pressure situation has not gone unnoticed.

“Bro ain’t built for the lights,” one fan simply observed. “Nothing has changed, Simmons is still scared of the bright lights,” another agreed.

“Bro made sure that when the season ends he can go home and not be in the playoffs,” a third fan said. “Yeah, cause there are zero expectations with the Kings,” a fourth fan observed.

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“He’s unserious about winning and being relied upon,” claimed one comment. “The Kings just might have been his best option to stay in the league longer than this year, I guess,” a sixth fan said.

Scrutiny is not ideal for Simmons, he has been criticised as much as any NBA star in the last decade. If he can tune out the noise and actually manage a good season, it would shut his doubters up quickly.

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