Depending on who you ask, the tale of Ben Simmons is either heartbreaking or frustrating. The former 1st overall pick has missed a significant amount of time for the Brooklyn Nets due to numerous injuries. Some people feel bad for the former Sixers star due to the misfortune he's had. Others are frustrated with the star for apparently using mental health as an “excuse”.

Simmons is a polarizing player amongst NBA fans, that's for sure. However, to say that Simmons doesn't want to return to basketball is a huge error. The Nets star is still pushing towards a return. In an interview with Marc J. Spears, Ben Simmons pointed to the 2024 Olympics as his target date to return.

Ben Simmons: “Olympics? Yeah, 100%. That's what I want to do next year…I get messages from Australian people like, ‘Yo, you should be playing right now. Jock Landale is playing right now.' To me, I'm going to play when I'm ready. There hasn't really been a time where I've been prepared and ready physically. But next year, my goal is to be on the Olympic team.”

The Nets traded for Ben Simmons a couple of years ago in exchange for James Harden. Simmons hasn't always been injured for Brooklyn, but he hasn't been around for more than half a season. This season, it was a back injury that hampered Simmons' abilities. Back ailments are debilitating and often persist for a player's entire career. There's a reason why Simmons was cautious in his return, as it was devastating not only for his career, but for his everyday life.

It seems like Simmons is on track to return to the court soon, though. After everything that's happened to his career, it's great to see that the Nets star still has the drive to play. We look forward to see him back on the court with his wizardry.