Former Sixers star Ben Simmons beginning rehab from back surgery
When it comes to Ben Simmons, the name boils the blood for the fan base of the Philadelphia 76ers. The 2021-22 season was a very long one for Simmons and the Sixers and for good reason.
It started in the 2021 playoffs when Simmons passed up an open dunk in Game 7 with the Atlanta Hawks and then there were some comments made by coach Doc Rivers and star teammate Joel Embiid afterward that seemed to bother Simmons.
Simmons then requested a trade in the offseason and he held out from the Sixers until midway through the preseason. He then told the team he wasn’t mentally ready to play and he did not play a single second for the Sixers until he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
After the deal to the Nets, it seemed like Simmons was in better spirits, and it was assumed that he would play for Brooklyn, but a back injury held him out and he underwent back surgery earlier in the offseason. Now, it appears that he is on track to resume his promising basketball career in training camp for the Nets.
Per Brian Lewis of The New York Post:
Ben Simmons has been out and about in New York recently. And The Post has confirmed the Nets star has successfully taken the next step following his back surgery: from the recovery phase to the rehab phase.
Simmons didn’t play a single second this season, either for the 76ers or for the Nets after they acquired him at the trade deadline. The three-time All-Star had successful microdiscectomy surgery at Cedars-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital in Los Angeles on May 5. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Watkins IV.
While Simmons’ career did not end well in Philadelphia, the hope now is that he can resume his career again in Brooklyn. He was a 3-time All-Star, he made an All-NBA Team appearance in 2020, and he made two All-Defensive First Teams with the Sixers. He also has the second-most triple-doubles in franchise history behind only Wilt Chamberlain.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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