Why Did Ben Simmons’ Injury Status Change? Nets Coach Sheds Light on Rare Incident

Ben Simmons’ 2023-24 season is not going how he predicted. Before the start of the season, Simmons claimed he was completely healthy and would return to his former self this year. However, his season has been riddled with strange injuries, just like the last three years. Simmons has played only 15 games and has been out for the majority of the season. And a sudden change in his injury status has left the NBA World even more confused.

According to the latest Nets’ injury report, Simmons’ injury status has been changed from left leg soreness to left lower back nerve impingement. Simmons has missed the last three Nets games and will sit out tonight’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Although injuries are a common occurrence in the NBA, sudden changes in the source of the injury are rare. Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie shed more light on why Simmons’ injury status was changed ahead of tonight’s game, “We were just trying to get to the source of it, and that’s why the change of the wording was, but he’s still day-to-day, still on the court, and hopefully we can get him back soon.”

Even in the limited games Simmons has played this season, he has not shown any improvement from last season. He is averaging only 6.1 points and 5.7 assists. To be clear, this is the same impingement that side lined Simmons for 3 months earlier this season.

Simmons’ mysterious back injury has played a major role in his career’s downfall. Only 3 years ago, Simmons was one of the top rising stars in the NBA. Unfortunately, a series of injuries and a massive decline in confidence after the 2021 playoffs has changed everything.

Will Ben Simmons ever be able to make a comeback?

Ben Simmons is a former Rookie of the Year and a 3-time All-Star. However, he has not been the same player since the 2021 playoffs. During Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semis, Simmons passed up a wide-open layup against the Hawks. That proved to be the biggest mistake of Simmons’ young career. The 76ers lost the series, and the Philly crowd blamed Simmons for their elimination. Simmons got slandered by the fans and eventually got traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.

Read More: Is Ben Simmons Afraid to Shoot? Warriors’ Jaylen Brown Disrespect Unveils Nets All-Star’s Shooting Concerns

Even after joining the Nets, Simmons was unable to regain his All-Star form. While many believed he had lost confidence after the 2021 incident, Simmons claimed his back injury was the cause of his declining form. It has been two years since Simmons got traded to Brooklyn. Unfortunately, his back injury is still an ongoing issue for the former All-Star. And it looks like Ben Simmons will not return to his former self anytime soon.