Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons laughed off the frosty reception he got from Philadelphia 76ers fans in his team's 136-121 victory Saturday.

"It's funny to me," Simmons told reporters. "I got grown men pissed off and yelling at me. … It's not that deep. It's sports, but it comes with it so I enjoy it.

As Simmons noted, this isn't the first time he has stepped in front of the Philly crowd since his trade to the Nets. He suited up for both of Brooklyn's road trips against the Sixers last season.

Time has obviously done little to dull the ill will toward the three-time All-Star.

Philadelphia's unforgiving reputation can sometimes be exaggerated, such as the infamous "booing" of Santa Claus. But this is also the same city that never forgot about J.D. Drew snubbing the Philadelphia Phillies, who selected him second overall in the 1997 MLB draft.

In an interview with Andscape's Marc J. Spears last August, Simmons said he "had a lot of fun" in Philadelphia and doesn't look back on his time there with any bitterness.

"I'll always have love for Philly," he said. "People always ask me like, 'If you were to get traded again where you want it to be?' I always say, 'Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me.' And in time, you learn and grow as people. I don't really have anything bad to say about Philly. It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is."

Based on Saturday, the feeling may not be mutual.