Nets' Ben Simmons: Back injury 'one of the most frustrating points in my career'
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons looks on from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Ben Simmons didn’t think he suffered another serious injury on Nov. 6. He thought it was a minor hip injury and said he was fine when coach Jacque Vaughn asked about it.
It ended up being a second nerve impingement in as many seasons, this time in his left lower back. On Friday, before the Nets lost to the Nuggets, he addressed reporters for the first time since he finished that game six weeks ago.
“It’s probably one of the most frustrating points in my career just because I want to be out there and help my team win and compete,” said Simmons, who’s missed 21 consecutive games. “But at the end of the day, it’s one of those things that’s a part of sports. Not every game is promised. Injuries happen.
“Unfortunately, it happened, so for me, it’s just focusing on what I can do now and doing what I can to get back on the floor and contribute.”
Simmons said he didn’t notice until the day after he suffered the injury that something felt wrong. The Nets initially called it hip soreness before an MRI revealed the impingement.
He added it felt different than the one he battled through last season in terms of pain.
“It was a new experience for me to just kind of feel it out where it was,” Simmons said. “Then, obviously having, you know, the scans and things like that solidified that.”
There remains no timetable for his return. The Nets announced Wednesday that there will be an update in two weeks.
Simmons said the epidural he received earlier this month did its job to help add strength. His on-court work consists of just getting shots up and moving around.
He was pleased with how he looked in the six games he played when he led the Nets in rebounds (10.8) and assists (6.7). He still believes he’ll be back this season but now it’s just rehabbing and playing the waiting game after this latest back issue.
“One day, it might be a little better than the other,” Simmons said. “It just depends on the days and how much you’re pushing yourself. But we’ve been doing a great job in terms of watching how much load I’ve been working on and how much we’re pushing through, so it’s been good. So I’m very confident, very positive.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
