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After a tumultuous last few years in the NBA, Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons contemplated retiring from the NBA. In a recent appearance on the podcast The Young Man and the Three, Simmons opened up about his thoughts and spoke about how it correlated with his surgery history.
“There were times, last summer, when I was like, ‘I don't know if I can do this. I might have to stop playing,” he said. “The first surgery I had, it took a lot of relief off and pain off my nerve. The second go-around was completely different. I felt like I had a new body, but you go into surgery, have your surgery, and you're doing the most simple exercises you could possibly do just to get your core going, get your legs firing again.”
According to the Associated Press, Simmons had his second back surgery in three years in March 2024. The Nets stated he underwent a microscopic partial discectomy to relieve a pinched nerve in his lower back. The procedure was done at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center by Dr. Timur Urakov, with input from Dr. Barth Green.
Simmons has been hit with several injuries in his eight-year career. Since being selected as the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons has faced recurring injuries to his back and knee. Yet, the injury setbacks didn't deter him from wanting to make his return to the NBA this season.
“I can't just stop. Like, I'm not just gonna stop. I wanna compete, I'm a competitor, I like to play basketball, I like to win. And, that was my time to win. I had so many losses in the last two and a half years, I was like, no, I need this one,”
When fully healthy, Simmons is a force on both offense and defense. His unique combination of size and speed makes him a tough matchup for guards and forwards alike. With the ball in his hands, he’s fast and has exceptional court vision, allowing him to create opportunities for himself and set up plays for his teammates.
Simmons has had a solid season, averaging 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game while participating in most of the Nets' games. The question remains: can he return to his All-Star and All-Defensive First Team form? Only time will tell, but he appears to be on the right track.
