What if I said a young man who had generational talent for the next decade plus would be a mystery? Would you believe the hype or sit back and say: “wait and see.” For Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons, his career has been filled with highlights of spectacular play, while fighting what most human beings internally hide without being side-eyed. The curious case of Ben Simmons took a turn for the worst and slowly became hot takes on national sports shows.
Ben Simmons' career turned spiral during the 2021 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. While a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and East favorites to win it all, Ben couldn’t cope with the pressure of being clutch down the stretch. In Game 7, Simmons had a wide open lay-up or easy dunk and passed it to Matisse Thybulle which was a failed attempt. Distancing himself away from big moments became a bigger story than losing that series and the backlash which followed was warranted. In the biggest game of his young career, Simmons was a no-show.
To know the Philadelphia fan base is simple: they’re all local fans and will shred any player. Whether it’s the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, or Sixers; the ruthless behavior is well documented. Ben became subject of public opinion and started to feel the underwhelming performance in not helping Sixers teammate Joel Embiid get to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Fans seemed to have forgotten the team had tied the series and Game 7 at the Wells Fargo Center. Head Coach Doc Rivers (at the time) got a free pass by default; Joel Embiid was frustrated how the season ended. Everyone blamed Ben for the team’s collapse.
The dark days were only beginning as Ben tried to cope with what happened. No moral support from teammates, coaches, not even the organization offered to sit and ask what was bothering him. This led to curious behavior and a mysterious back injury prior to the start of the 2022 season. A verbal confrontation with Coach Rivers led to him being sent home from practice. The drama surrounding Philadelphia became more headlines than any team in the city. What was really going on with Ben? Nobody knew and there’s several red flags which told the front office he was dealing with mental health issues.
Demanding a trade, switching agents, trying to recoup money in his contract and sitting out until something was done only weighed heavier. A promising career now in organized chaos became even more mysterious. How could a 6’10” point guard have fallen into a dark place? The story became clearer as he opened about his struggles with mental health. He was dealing with a serious family matter involving his sister and half-brother. A lot of tweets were denied by the family, and this added more to a troubling incident.
In those dark moments, Ben didn’t have the support of his teammates and organization. This explained his horrendous playoff performance in 2021 and fans dragging him through the team's failures. If you’re on a team; no matter the sport, they’re supposed to have your back. Win, lose or tie you go to battle with your teammates, and it falls on everyone. It can be detrimental behavior and damage was done before a blink of an eye.
Fast forward to January 30th, 2024, and Ben has made his return to the basketball court with his Nets teammates. A nerve impingement in his lower back kept him out and made his regular season debut against Utah in a 147-114 win. Finishing with 10 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. After the rout over Utah: “It’s amazing because this is probably one of the best teams in terms of just friendships I’ve been a part of. Everyone gets along, we don’t have egos or anything like that on the team, and guys want to win and compete.”
To hear those words brought clarity and put to bed any doubt Ben can play elite basketball without the drama and egos. To be in a smoother situation has given him time to focus and not worry about a lot of negative teammates. This answered the question as a mental health patient could put it. When egos and testosterone clash like two rams in a field, somebody ends up hurt. Ben Simmons is all smiles after the big win in his return and his better days are in front of him.
The stigma of mental health is being broken and plenty of dialogue being created for everyone. We’re human beings who deal with raw and real emotions in our lives. When we hear or see this with athletes, the general fan says: “they have no clue; money cures everything and why should we care?” Athletes are human beings and the pressures of being a great player comes with a price. Making your mental health a priority trumps anything in life. It’s no different than you having a 9 to 5 job and dealing with stress from management and colleagues.
We all need mental health therapy and there’s nothing wrong with admitting you’re not feeling in a safe space. If Ben had the moral support from his Sixers teammates, they would’ve been able to heal together. When egos and high expectations apply pressure, your mental well-being is drained. All emotional, physical, and hormonal health is zapped. The brain overworks itself trying to send the right amount of energy to keep the body functioning. If one of those is thrown off balance, everything else slips. Just like a mobile device battery, your brain works the same in human science.
For Ben Simmons, it’s been a moral victory in a big way since 2021. Being around toxicity in Philadelphia to newfound energy beams in Brooklyn. The Nets have supported him since arriving in 2022. His athletic prime years will take flight and have a new purpose to use his platform and continue empowering athletes in their healing journey. It’s not an overnight fix but Ben has taken the right direction to keep his mental health in a safe space. Learning to accept what you can’t change and moving forward is what any mental health therapist would say during a session.
Suppressing your emotions increases further health issues without proper treatments. Taking time away to address these issues is more important than life itself. You may be dealing with mental health issues as this article is typed and posted. Please seek help from your local healthcare providers and start the healing journey. Always know it’s okay to not be okay and you’re not alone in this battle of mental health. Your life matters and I encourage you all to be encouraged and inspired to be a voice. If nothing else, support your friends and loved ones in breaking the stigma of mental health.
