76ers’ Ben Simmons: ‘I Don’t Give a F–k’ About Criticism on Social Media

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons’ confidence has never been higher, even if his scoring average has reached a career-low 12.2 points per game. 

Asked about criticism on social media over his play following a 122-110 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday, the veteran was blunt. 

“I don’t go on Instagram, I don’t go on Twitter, so I don’t really see what people are saying,” Simmons told reporters. “I don’t give a f–k, honestly.”

Simmons notched 15 points, 11 assists and three rebounds against the Celtics with all but four of his points coming late in the fourth quarter. 

Instead, the guard focused on defending and distributing the ball to the likes of Joel Embiid (38 points), Tobias Harris (23 points) and Seth Curry (15 points) as the Sixers’ starters began heating up. Only when the offense began to look like it was flattening out late in regulation did Simmons make scoring his primary concern. 

His teammates were right behind him the whole way. 

Head coach Doc Rivers told reporters it was Embiid who kept advocating for the Sixers to run pick-and-rolls for Simmons to keep the guard in his rhythm. 

“Ben down the stretch,” Rivers said. “That was awesome.”

Simmons has yet to score more than 17 points in a single contest this season, but that hardly matters to Rivers & Co. at the moment. 

Philadelphia is 11-5, two games ahead of Boston in the Atlantic Division and preparing for a two-game set with the struggling Detroit Pistons this weekend. There’s no need for Simmons to change his offensive mindset as long as the status quo holds. 

Until it doesn’t, nothing on social media can convince the guard otherwise—especially if he’s not looking at it.