These days, Ben Simmons wakes up with a newfound appreciation for simply being able to stand up straight. That line alone says a lot about where the former No. 1 overall pick is at in his life and career right now. Once billed as a franchise-changing superstar, the 29-year-old three-time All-Star is now trying to piece himself back together after years of injuries, criticism, and constant noise from the outside. Not to mention the number of teams he has bounced around to, Philly, New York, and L.A. just to name a few.
Simmons has not played NBA basketball at anything close to his early-career level in a long time, and depending on who you ask, the reasons vary wildly. Some still point to his lack of outside shooting. Others say his confidence never recovered after that infamous playoff moment in Philadelphia. There are even people who swear he should just switch shooting hands and everything would magically work out. But Simmons says the real issue has been much simpler and far more painful. His back.
According to the source, Simmons opened up about how persistent back injuries stalled his development and changed his day-to-day life. He described it as “one of those things where you’re dealing with it every day, sitting down, going to sleep, flying on planes. People don’t understand that,” he added.
Ben Simmons Opens Up Regarding His Health
According to the NY Times, the numbers back up just how much time he has lost. Over nine seasons in the league, Simmons has missed 273 games. Over the last four years, he has only been available for about one-third of his team’s games. During the 2024-25 season, split between the Brooklyn Nets and the LA Clippers, Simmons played 51 total games. He averaged five points and 22 minutes per game, and even then, he says he was rarely close to full strength.
Throughout the season, Simmons said he often felt only “20 or 30 percent” healthy. Some mornings before games, he could barely stand up straight. That kind of reality makes the constant online jokes and hot takes feel even harsher, especially when fans only see the box scores. However, some fans are not buying into Ben’s comeback. One stated via a comment on X, “We not falling for this,” regarding Simmons attempting to make a comeback yet again.
That frustration is part of why Simmons decided not to sign with another NBA team this past offseason. Instead of rushing back, he chose an extended rehab plan aimed at restoring his health before attempting another return, either later this season or before the 2026-27 campaign.
“I’m about to be 30 years old, and I need to make the best decision for Ben Simmons,” he said. “It’s not fun going out there, not being able to move, not be able to jump, or, you know, take hits. There’s no fun in that.”
Former New York Nets Player Trying To Make a Comeback?
He knows not everyone will get it. “Sometimes you got to make a decision with how you feel and what’s best for yourself,” Simmons said. And that’s what I’ve done, and it’s not for everybody to really understand, because they’re not in my shoes.”
Right now, Simmons is training in Los Angeles with the goal of becoming “bulletproof” so his body can finally handle the grind of an NBA season. He says his shot feels good again and that he can take a simple hook shot without discomfort, which might sound minor but is a big deal considering where he has been physically.
Of course, injuries are only part of the story. Simmons’ relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers collapsed before the 2021 season, when the team denied his trade request. He skipped training camp, missed the entire season, and was fined repeatedly before telling the team he was not mentally ready to play. He was eventually traded to Brooklyn in February 2022 and did not return to the court until the following season.
Simmons admits he has regrets. He sometimes wishes he had “done that or said this” differently, but he is trying to move forward. That has not stopped the criticism. Former NBA player Theo Pinson called him a “laughingstock” on a podcast, and Shaquille O’Neal has blasted him for “not showing up” in Philadelphia. His social media mentions are still full of jokes about his shooting and endless reminders of the passed-up dunk against the Hawks in Game 7.
The jokes reached a new level just before Christmas, when it was announced that Simmons bought an ownership stake in the South Florida Sails Angling Club, part of the Sports Fishing Championship. Suddenly, fishing became the new punchline.
What’s Next For Ben Simmons?
“I get comments every day and people laugh, or whatever it is, and put comments or whatever about fishing,” Simmons said. “And I’m like, ‘You don’t even know.’ Like, I’m from Australia. I was born and raised Australian. I love being in the water.”
Fishing, it turns out, is not a random hobby. Ben Simmons grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales, a coastal city north of Sydney, and spent plenty of time fishing off the shore as a kid. He calls it an “outlet” away from basketball and says he becomes a completely different person on the water.
That passion lined up naturally with the SFC, a league founded in 2021 that already includes celebrity investors like Scottie Scheffler, Talor Gooch, Austin Dillon, Raheem Mostert, and country singer Brian Kelley. Commissioner Mark Neifeld has said he hopes the league can become the “PGA Tour” of fishing.
For Ben Simmons, fishing is not an escape from basketball so much as a reminder that his identity does not begin and end with the NBA. Whether his next comeback ends like his New York stint, he is finally prioritizing his health, his peace, and a life that makes sense for him. And after everything he has been through, that might be the most important return of all.
