Ben Simmons reportedly wants to play for Gregg Popovich

Ben Simmons began his NBA career with Brett Brown as his head coach. Now Simmons could be eyeing the possibility of playing for Brown’s mentor.

NBA writer Marc Stein said this week in a post to his Substack page that the disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers star would welcome the opportunity to play for Gregg Popovich if the San Antonio Spurs found a way to acquire him. Stein adds that Popovich’s presence still resonates with many players and notes the presence in San Antonio of famed shooting coach Chip Engelland, someone who could help Simmons with his infamous jumper (or lack thereof).

At 8-15, the Spurs are a non-contending team right now. That means that Popovich’s coaching would be the primary draw for a player like Simmons.

This season is shaping up to be a lost one for Simmons, who remains away from the Sixers and does not seem to be any closer to getting his wish for a trade. But with some rumors that Popovich could keep coaching for longer than expected, the Spurs may be surprisingly high on Simmons’ list of preferred landing spots.