Ben Simmons has gotten off to a shaky start with the Brooklyn Nets, prompting some of his own teammates, as well as fans and analysts, to doubt his dedication to the sport. Even yet, Simmons insists that his enthusiasm for the sport is still there. He loves the game itself, but cares less about the peripheral activities.

Ben Simmons

“This is my favorite sport. To put it simply, I like playing. Does all the nonsense that surrounds it appeal to me? Not at all,” Simmons was quoted as saying by the New York Post. But, the game and all its perks have my heart. Assuming this role entails a number of responsibilities…. Anyway, that’s just the way things are. In addition to enjoying my time spent working, I really like playing basketball. Reality check: today is not going to be flawless. Unhappy days happen to everyone. It’s just the way things go sometimes. Keeping at it and making progress day by day.

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“It’s a roller coaster,” Simmons added. A bright day will come. You’re human, and you have terrible days. Still, that’s life in general. That’s why you have to keep at it.

Simmons missed the whole of last season because of mental and physical health difficulties, and he has already missed a couple of games this season, looking like a shadow of his former self when he has been on the court. He’s been benched since his numbers are at or near career lows. Simmons has a season average of 26.6 minutes per game, 6.1 rebounds, 5.8 points, and 5.6 assists.

Simmons blames the nerve damage he had last season, from which he is still recovering, for his poor start this year.

“Especially with a nerve damage, it takes time to develop,” Simmons added. To repair completely, nerves need 18 months. Most people have no idea what I’m talking about. But, you know, I improve with practice. Just keep going, I say.

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It’s not only Simmons who’s having trouble. The Nets’ poor start to the season had been widely anticipated. Many people thought they would be a serious contender, but after 15 games they are just 6-9 and in last place in the Eastern Conference. Does Simmons, against this background, feel any pressure to improve?

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I’m under constant stress. What I do,” Simmons said. You know, the question is, when does it reach its limit? There has to be an inflection moment when you’re simply like, f**k it. To put it simply, the situation is what it is. That is not lost on me. You, too, need to experience emotion. A small amount of stress is necessary. So, that’s a positive thing.

Simmons will continue to be under under scrutiny, and the Nets will continue to struggle until he improves his performance. They anticipated Simmons to perform at an All-Star level when they traded James Harden for him in February. He does, after all, earn an All-salary. Star’s However, it has not been the case up to this point. Maybe he’ll find his footing as the season progresses, but so far it hasn’t looked good for Brooklyn.