Nets' Ben Simmons Says He's Gotten Injections for Knee Injury: 'Not a Made-Up Thing'

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is not a fan of the pushback he's gotten from some fans about his ongoing knee injury.

“You’re obviously not gonna be happy when anybody’s out,” Simmons told Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic. “But for me, I’ve been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It’s been swollen. I had PRP (platelet-rich plasma injections). I had blood drained a couple times. So it’s not a made-up thing, you know? It’s a real thing.

“I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor. I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”

It's been a tough blow for Simmons, who sat out all of the 2021-22 season with the Philadelphia 76ers while in pursuit of a trade. When he was dealt to the Nets, he had to get back into game shape and suffered a season-ending back injury.

The 26-year-old underwent surgery on his back in May, and Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported on June 8 he was done with the recovery phase and was "well into" rehab to get him back into shape for the 2022-23 campaign.

The Australian is expected to play a significant role for the Nets this season alongside both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

While Durant initially requested a trade from the franchise, he met with then-head coach Steve Nash and ownership in August and decided to return for the 2022-23 season.

The last time Simmons was fully healthy in 2020-21 as a member of the Sixers, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 58 games while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor en route to his third straight All-Star selection and second straight All-NBA Defensive first-team honors.