Ben Simmons Rejected From Australia Casino and Suggests Racial Profiling

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers is a superstar in the world of the NBA, but it didn't matter [...]

By John Newby

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers is a superstar in the world of the NBA, but it didn't matter recently when he was denied entry to a casino in Australia.

According to TMZ Sports and a video posted on his Instagram stories, the 23-year-old was trying to gain entry to the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia on Monday morning when he was denied by security. Additionally, two of his other friends were also kept out, but the third was allowed to enter. Simmons didn't provide a specific reason for why his one friend had no issues, but he strongly suggested that it had to do with the color of his skin.

"I find it so crazy that the only guy who doesn't get checked to go into the casino is this guy," Simmons said while showing his friend who was Caucasian. "I get checked, Mike gets checked and Taj gets checked."

Simmons went further with his proof, showing his two friends that were both people of color while saying, "They didn't let me in, or him, or this guy. Wow, we got a long way to go."

Originally born in Melbourne, Simmons spent his youth and high school years in Australia before moving to the United States to attend Montverde Academy in Florida and later LSU. Simmons holds dual citizenship and is the son of an American father.

In theory, the 76ers point guard should have no trouble gaining entrance to an Australian casino due to his history with the country as well as having a father, Davis, that spent 13 seasons in the Australian National Basketball League. However, this certainly was not the case on Monday.

Simmons' video was later deleted from his Instagram stories, but it has since appeared on multiple Twitter accounts.

Originally the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons has spent his entire career in Philadelphia. He has appeared in 160 games and was named to the All-Star Game during the 2018-2019 season. Simmons was also named both Rookie of the Year and to the All-Rookie team during the 2017-2018 season.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of