Hundreds of people surrounded Ben Simmons as the phenom made his way toward the locker room before a game at a Florida tournament less than three years ago. Fans of every age begged for autographs and snapped photos, as Simmons — still two years away from playing in college, let alone the NBA — slowly made his way through the mob of admirers.
An eye-catching performance by the high school junior in Montverde Academy’s previous game, 31 points and 13 rebounds, made him a celebrity at the City of Palms Classic. Eventually, he reached the locker room.
The crowd did not disperse, but reassembled around one of Simmons’ teammates, an injured senior point guard who entered the gym behind Simmons.