Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons have a LOT in common.
Both were born in Melbourne, Australia, sons of South Bronx ballers who went Down Under to play professionally. Both returned to the U.S. as children, were coached in high school by the legendary Kevin Boyle. Both were overall No. 1 picks and both were Rookie of the Year and were named to All-Star teams and were selected All-NBA. The two are also New Jersey residents, the only ones on the team, Irving in West Orange, Simmons in Moorestown
And both are the objects of aversion and derision in a major East Coast city, Irving in Boston as proven this weekend and Simmons in Philadelphia where he will return to a hyped up Wells Fargo Center, if not its court, on Thursday night.