Anyone who is familiar with 76ers point guard Ben Simmons probably knows a little bit about his love for animals. His passion for furry, loveable creatures would explain why the NBA superstar is currently a dog dad of 5. In a 2017 interview with Marc Spears, Simmons discussed where this infatuation began. “Being in Australia, being around animals at a young age, I’ve always loved animals,” Ben said. “My first pet was my golden retriever. I got him at 7 years old. I grew up around animals. My sisters and brothers had cats. I love all kinds of animals.”
Simmons seemed to turn to his pets for comfort and a friend during turbulent parts of his life, especially during the loneliness of travel that playing professional sports can bring.
4 years ago Ben told Marc “Once I get a house, I will have a lot more animals and pets. I don’t want too many animals. I want two dogs. I thought about getting a big crocodile. But that’s probably too much”. Fast forward to 2021 and Simmons may not have a big crocodile, but with 5 dogs in his home, he certainly has more pets than even he could have imagined.
Simmons, while arguably one of the most talented players in the NBA, is no stranger to hardships. As an emotional athlete, he seems to heavily rely on his family for support during challenging times, and his pets are no exception. They say that when you rescue a dog you’re saving the animal, but often times the animal ends up saving you in the process.
Dogs are without a doubt a mans best friend, so what could be better than 5? Nothing. Except maybe that crocodile Simons mentioned a while back….
*All photos from Ben Simmons/Instagram
