NBA news: Kevin Durant urges Ben Simmons to embrace 76ers’ fans taunts

Ben Simmons will return to Philadelphia on Friday for the first time since his exit — and he can expect plenty of taunts from the Sixers’ faithful. Here’s Kevin Durant’s advice for the Aussie.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has urged Ben Simmons to “embrace” the hate when he returns to Philadelphia on Friday to face the 76ers fans for the first time since his controversial trade exit.

Durant knows a thing or two about returning to a franchise following a less than ideal departure.

After leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016, he received a hostile reception every time he returned to Oklahoma.

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Aussie star Ben Simmons is edging closer to an NBA return with the Brooklyn Nets.

Durant didn’t enjoy the sledges, but he also used the taunts as inspiration to silence the crowd.

It’s why he won’t be saying anything extra to Simmons ahead of his return to Philadelphia to sit on the bench as he continues to deal with an ongoing back issue.

“That’s one of those things he’s going to have to experience for his self – I can’t go over there and nobody’s going to hold his hand,” Durant said.

“I‘m sure it’s going to be some personal attacks, some words that may trigger you personally, but that’s just how fans are. They’re going to get under our skin. And they’re going to let their voices be heard.

“Embrace it. All the greats have been through being called the worst names in the history of the book. The good thing about it is that we get a chance to perform and shut the people up. It‘s a fun dynamic with fans and players because they really do love us at the end of the day.

“But a part of their job is to be fans, be fanatics and be radical about the game and about their team, so we all understand this as professionals. Some of the stuff may go overboard, but at the end of the day, ain‘t nothing going to happen to us, I feel.”

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has urged Ben Simmons to “embrace” the hate when he returns to Philadelphia on Friday to face the 76ers fans for the first time since his controversial trade exit. Photo: by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images.

Durant believes fans heckling is just part of the NBA’s game day experience, and Simmons must try not to take the attacks personally.

“Some people don’t even enjoy basketball; their lives are so s----y that they get to just aim it at other people,” he said.

“So, it’s easy to kind of get that release at a basketball game.

“Ben understands that, and I‘m sure some stuff may be funny. You never know. “But at the end of the day you realise that life is amazing, we play the game of basketball for a living and a little bit of trash talk is what it is.”

It comes as reports out of Philadelphia suggest Simmons and his management are preparing to file a formal grievance against the Sixers in the coming days.

The grievance surrounds the Australian guard being fined a reported $26 million by the team for his refusal to suit up for games.