"Serious case of Stockholm Syndrome" - Ben Simmons calling Philadelphia 76ers his preferred destination has NBA fans mocking him

Ben Simmons made an interesting comment about his time with the Philadelphia 76ers as he prepares for a comeback season with the Brooklyn Nets.

The former All-Star had high praise for the city of Philadelphia and the time he spent with the Sixers and said he would love to return to the team if he got traded.

"I had a lot of fun there," Simmons told Andscape. "It was time for me to go. When I did leave, it was good timing. Obviously, the injury and everything that was going on didn’t help. But I think it gave me a chance to really appreciate it. I’ll always have love for Philly.

"People always ask me like, ‘If you were to get traded again where you want it to be?’ I always say, ‘Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me.’ And in time, you learn and grow as people. I don’t really have anything bad to say about Philly. It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is."

This comment went viral and created a lot of reactions from fans on social media, who couldn't understand Simmons' mindset after everything that happened in Philadelphia.

"This is some serious case of Stockholm Syndrome," a Twitter user wrote.

"BRO WHAT???? There is NO way this man wants back. For what? Thrown under the bus by the coach (yes I know he is now gone) but also by your Co-Star (Current MVP) * Fan Base turned on him.... Just keep it moving fam," another user said.

"They don’t want you bro," a third user wrote.

There were a few, though, who were supportive of him and believe it would make sense to return to Philadelphia.

"He wants to prove himself again to them, that’s good work ethic," one user wrote.

"Philly fans don’t deserve him back though," a second one wrote.

Ben Simmons had a complicated and disgruntled relationship with the Sixers ever since he joined the squad back in 2016 as the No.1 pick of the NBA draft.

His serious back injury, the Sixers' failure to challenge for the championship and poor shooting made things worse for him until he asked for a trade.

But Philadelphia benched him until it found the perfect package. Eventually, he joined the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022 in a trade that sent James Harden to the Sixers.

Ben Simmons preparing for a comeback season with the Nets

After a struggling season with Brooklyn, which saw him play in just 42 games due to a back injury, Ben Simmons is focused on a comeback year with the franchise.

Sidelined since March and coming off a back surgery in May 2022, he put a lot of work on his body during the offseason.

"The version I’m at now, if I was playing against myself from last season, I would kill him," Simmons said. "That’s how I feel. (My body) is way stronger. The strongest I’ve been physically, in terms of like moving weight. This is the strongest my core has ever been."

What makes the Nets optimistic is that Ben Simmons looks fine mentally as well after dealing with mental health issues during his Philadelphia days, which continued in the first months of his time in Brooklyn.

But, his is in the past now and it looks like we should expect the best version of Ben Simmons next year.