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“When I Was in the Ambulance…”: Ben Simmons Calls Out Disgruntled NBA World After Troubling Kevin Durant News Added to Nets Woes

Published 11/17/2022, 8:50 AM EST

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The Brooklyn Nets have been an emotional mess this season. From the firing of Steve Nash to Kyrie Irving’s woes, Tsai has his hands full. Moreover, it seems their cornerstone, Kevin Durant, has lost hope for them this season. The Slim Reaper’s comments showed just how dysfunctional the Nets have been lately. However, a common face of blame has also been Ben Simmons. Dealing with a pattern of injuries once again, the former All-Star sat down with The Athletic to discuss the cruelty of the NBA world.

Notably, Simmons has been on the end of the barrel over the last two seasons. It all started with his ill-fated playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. The following season, he spent the entire season without suiting up dealing with the mental side of the sports. His lack of availability gave fans another round to fire at Simmons. But this time, the defensive expert did not hesitate to respond.

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He called out the NBA world for not seeing the complete picture. Notably, his struggle with injuries was unimaginable.

Frustrated Ben Simmons hits back after Kevin Durant winning comments

The load on Simmons has been extremely heavy. His reputation dipped after the former DPOY candidate’s ugly split with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, with the recent injury woes and lack of availability, people within the Brooklyn Nets franchise are raising their eyebrows. Major doubts are circulating around the 26-year-old’s passion to play the sport. But the Australian native has accepted he is helpless in the situation.

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Being completely aware of the noise, Simmons feels he can’t stop the presumptions about his nature. However, while speaking to Shams Charania, he also offered a piece of his complicated past. Ben Simmons said: “You can’t make people believe, you know? They weren’t there when I was on the floor and couldn’t walk. They weren’t there when I was in the ambulance getting taken to the hospital. People weren’t there, so they don’t know.”

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USA Today via Reuters

While fans surely have a say, there are times Simmons has become an unfortunate target. Last season, no one knew the extent of his back injury. However, analysts still ridiculed him for sitting out in the playoffs. While the recurring injury worries are unfortunate for the 26-year-old, Simmons continues to fight through. There are many things to which fans don’t have visibility. Ben Simmons‘ rounds to the hospital and various struggles only show that the story is deeper than it is reported.

Simmons’ impact on the Brooklyn Nets has arguably been subpar. His best game came in a blowout against the Sacramento Kings, where he contributed 11 points to the mix. The 2016 number-one pick is surely not happy with his performances. Moreover, his caliber surpasses his present status. However, risking so much at such an early stage in his career might be careless.

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Watch This Story: Here’s How LeBron James, Ben Simmons, Shaquille O’Neal, and Other NBA Stars Spent Their First Paychecks

Do you think Ben Simmons will be his old self in the near future? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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Edited by:

Abhishek Kumar