Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon feels complete empathy for Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons.
Simmons fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot after rolling his ankle, and had surgery to repair the bone.
Gordon also fractured the same bone in his foot and underwent the same surgery. He was deeply disappointed about the injury, but managed to return to action almost two months later.
There has been no setback with his foot, and his recovery was complete enough to nearly win the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest.
Gordon spoke to the Orlando Sentinel about his injury and Simmons.
He's going to be fine. I had the same break, and then I went and did the dunk contest.
With a fracture like that, it doesn't hurt too much. And then after the surgery, it hurts a lot.
The best news according to Gordon is the fact that it doesn't mean Simmons' career is in jeopardy. In fact, several NBA players have had the same injury, and was able to continue their careers.
Gordon did acknowledge that recovery is difficult in the early stages, but afterwards he would be fine.
He also gave Simmons some advice on how to handle getting back to the court.
Don't worry about it. Take your time. Keep your confidence high. Do what you can to keep your mind occupied. Keep your touch, where you just have a basketball in your hands as much as you can.
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