2023 could be the enigmatic and controversial Ben Simmons’ redemption year. The former All-Star point guard may prove he is still one of the best next season. Call it make-or-break time for the 2018 Rookie of the Year. The Australian had been having health issues resulting in his absence for almost half of the 2022-2023 season. Is Simmons ready to play basketball for the Brooklyn Nets in the upcoming 2023-2024 season?
Ben Simmons health update: “As healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philadelphia”
Last season, Ben Simmons only managed to play 42 games. Simmons missed the whole 2021-2022 season due to injuries and personal reasons. But, when he came back a year after, his production took a huge dip. From being a star point guard, Simmons became a shell of himself and only averaged single digits in scoring. However, according to various sources, Ben Simmons is actually 100% healthy going into the 2023-2024 NBA season, According to NBA insider and writer Marc Spears, Simmons is “as healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philadelphia”.
Ben Simmons is as healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philadelphia, per @MarcJSpears
Comeback season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vDLDgMP2H0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 26, 2023
After the big three of the Brooklyn Nets (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden) collapsed right in front of us, Ben Simmons was left with an overhauled Nets. Unfortunately, he would suffer from back problems resulting in lots of missed games. Nets star Mikal Bridges, however, has faith in Simmons. With news that the 27-year-old guard is healthy, we could expect a lot from him and contribute well for Brooklyn. Surprisingly enough, he would have to battle for the starting point guard position since he has been sidelined for quite some time.
"Ben's my guy. I got big confidence, I got big faith in my boy this year… He's the one talking in the chat all the time, and we all f*ck with him."
Mikal Bridges on his relationship with Ben Simmons 🔥
(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/bjraxlCCpP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 24, 2023
If Ben Simmons is healthy and confident, the Australian star can be an All-Star and All-Defensive player
Ben Simmons’s peak was probably his rookie year and at the time, he was heavily regarded as having the potential to become one of the best point guards in the league. Well, since his breakdown against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Simmons was never the same. He almost declined as fast as lightning and made rounds on the internet as the NBA’s laughingstock.
Ben Simmons last healthy season:
14.3 PPG
7.2 RPG
6.9 APG
1.6 SPG
55.7 FG%He was an All-Star and made All-Defense. pic.twitter.com/ko7uKbKj35
— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 27, 2023
Despite what his haters would say about him, Ben Simmons is still very young and has achieved more than hundreds of players his age. When his body was fully healthy and back when he still had confidence in basketball, Simmons was selected for the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive teams. In six seasons, Ben Simmons is already having a Hall-of-Famer career as a 3-time All-Star, 1-time All-NBA member, 2-time All-Defensive team member, and the Rookie of the Year award. At 6 feet and 9 inches, the Australian star is a rare breed of point guard that every contending team would love to have on their roster. Not only is he athletic, but Simmons is also a great passer and tight defender. However, his emotional and off-court issues hindered Simmons’s development. Plus, he was afraid to shoot the ball and make a reliable jumper despite being a veteran in the league. Everyone is still rooting for him and hopefully, he comes back stronger next season.
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