The last time the 76ers stood atop the East was in 2001. Back then, they were led by MVP Allen Iverson and reached the NBA Finals. Philadelphia wouldn’t return to the title series, enduring a five-year playoff drought between 2013 and 2018. Then, the breakthrough finally came.
"It starts from when the Sixers finished a season 10-62," Joel Embiid said. "I think that's when it started. From that time, we've only improved."
Embiid was referring to the 2015-16 season, famously getting the record wrong as the 76ers went 10-72. Just four years later, the team was battling for an NBA championship.
The Hawks proved more resilient than expected. The 76ers had home-court advantage and opened the series in Philly, but Atlanta came out flying, building a 26-point lead. Philadelphia mounted a furious comeback but couldn’t complete it, falling 128-124. The Sixers bounced back in Game 2, powered by Embiid’s 40-point performance, but Atlanta refused to back down.
The Hawks took a 3-2 lead, but Philadelphia forced a Game 7 as the series went back to Philly.
There was no tomorrow. It was win or go home.
Great players dream of moments like this: carrying their team to a crucial victory while dominating the box score. Hitting the game-winning shot. Ice in the veins. Whatever it takes.
Besides Embiid, the 76ers also had the former No. 1 draft pick on the roster in Ben Simmons.
A few months ago, he was playing in the NBA All-Star Game, his third. He had been one of the biggest reasons behind Philadelphia’s rise from the ashes.
With 3:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, Atlanta led 88-86. Philadelphia needed momentum, and Simmons appeared to have the perfect opportunity to provide it. He caught the ball near the paint and began backing down his defender. A couple of dribbles. A quick spin. Despite briefly losing control of the ball, Simmons found himself wide open under the basket.
The fans were ready to jump to their feet and celebrate. Instead, Simmons passed up what appeared to be an open dunk and kicked the ball to Matisse Thybulle, who made only one of two free throws after being fouled. The moment became the defining point of the series.
Philadelphia never recovered. Atlanta edged the 76ers 103-96, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals and handing Philadelphia a heartbreaking end to its season. It became one of the most painful playoff collapses in recent Sixers history.
Despite dishing out 13 assists in Game 7, Simmons scored just five points and shot a brutal 33% from the free-throw line during the series.
This sequence became a defining moment of his entire career. Philadelphia's elimination ultimately marked the beginning of the dramatic decline in his reputation and his relationship with the 76ers.
It sparked his fall.
After the controversial ending, Simmons stated that he didn’t want to play for Philadelphia anymore, despite having four more years left on his contract. He asked for a trade and said he was willing to miss training camp and practices to enforce his demands.
The 76ers failed to find a trade partner, and Simmons followed through.
He missed training camp, practices, meetings, and four preseason games. When he finally returned to the team on October 11, 2021, he was thrown out of practice by head coach Doc Rivers less than a week later.
The relationships and trust were broken beyond repair.
Simmons stopped showing up again, forcing the franchise to continue fining him. By the end of 2021, he had reportedly accumulated more than $10 million in fines, making him one of the most heavily fined players in NBA history.
Moving on from Philly
In January 2022, the 76ers finally traded Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets. His tenure there was never successful. Over the course of three seasons, Simmons only played in 90 games because of injuries. He never averaged more than 6.9 points per game. And many people blamed his lack of confidence, but Simmons later opened up about his struggles with mental health.
“So many people speak about confidence,” Simmons said. “If I was not confident, I would not get on the court again, I would not go to the Clippers, I wouldn’t play in Brooklyn. It’s health. It’s just being healthy.”
In February 2025, the Nets waived him and bought out his contract. Two days later, Simmons signed with the Los Angeles Clippers and appeared in 18 games before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2025.
Instead of immediately chasing another contract, Simmons chose to rehabilitate the lingering leg and back injuries that had derailed the latest years of his career. After missing the entire 2025-26 season, many experts wrote him off, believing he was past his prime and would never make a meaningful impact again.
But in early September, the news broke through - Simmons is returning to the NBA on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings.
A new shot in Sacramento
Simmons had hinted at his intention to return in December 2025.
“I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my ass on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed,” said Simmons. “I don’t have a plan on where. Maybe I’ll go back to Philly. Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami - I like Eric Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture.”
The Heat were not interested, but Simmons impressed Sacramento’s general manager Scott Perry during a workout in Miami. He then traveled to Sacramento and trained there, impressing head coach Doug Christie as well.
After the leadership did an interview with Simmons and he passed an in-depth medical exam, the Kings offered him a chance for a comeback. In California, he'll get the opportunity to rise again and put his career back on track.
At 30 years old, Simmons can still prove he’s good enough to compete in the best league in the world and return to his glory days. Born and raised in Australia, he was a 6-foot-10 point guard who could defend almost anyone, push the ball in transition, create for teammates, and dominate physically when he was at his peak.
And that athletic potential was always there.
Simmons' natural talent
Growing up, Simmons showcased early signs of tremendous potential.
At the age of 15, he represented Australia at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship. He tallied 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals against the Czech Republic. His performances earned him a spot in the senior national team training camps.
He made the roster on multiple occasions but always withdrew before competition started.
Simmons spent a year at LSU, where he arrived as the No. 1 recruit in the country and was immediately viewed as a potential future NBA star. At his height, he was an unusual talent: a forward with the size and athleticism to dominate inside, but also the ball-handling and passing ability to function as a point forward. Simmons ultimately made his living at the point guard position.
He exceeded expectations by averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game as a true freshman while shooting 56% from the field. There, Simmons was one of only two Division I freshmen to average a double-double, and his 23 double-doubles led all major-conference players.
In December 2015, he exploded for 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and three blocks. His 43-point masterpiece was the most points scored by an LSU player since Shaquille O’Neal.
The LSU Tigers missed the NCAA tournament, and Simmons declared for the 2017 NBA Draft. From 2018 through 2021, he became a three-time All-Star and looked like one of the NBA's foundational young stars. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, also leading the league in steals in 2020.
But over time, a major flaw in Simmons’ game started coming to light - he couldn’t shoot, and his reluctance to shoot became a major talking point.
Simmons' exposed weakness
The point guard didn’t hit a three in his first two NBA seasons; then he knocked down two triples in his third year, followed by three more in his fourth. And that’s been it - Simmons is 5-for-36 in his career. He’s been a poor free-throw shooter with a career percentage of 59.2%.
Eventually, teams exposed serious limitations in his offensive game.
Defenses eventually left him open, clogging the floor for teammates like Embiid. Simmons remained an outstanding transition player who could attack the rim, post up smaller defenders, and create for teammates. But his inability — or unwillingness — to develop a reliable jump shot made him increasingly predictable in the half-court.
Ultimately, that weakness became one of the biggest factors in Philadelphia’s playoff collapse and helped destroy the relationship between Simmons and the organization.
His weakness became his downfall.
But the world loves a good comeback story and tends to root for the underdog. After years of backlash and losing the trust of fans, Simmons now has a chance at redemption in Sacramento. His story is not finished. If he can stay healthy and rediscover the aggressive player who once looked destined for superstardom, he may still have another chapter to write.
Last season, the Kings won just 22 games, finishing second-to-last in the Western Conference.
There won’t be any pressure to win this year. But Simmons could spark the turnaround, just like he once did in Philadelphia.
But this time, with a successful ending. Going all the way.
