Ben Simmons comes clean on struggles that have seen fans brand him ‘soft’ as Nets teammates back him

Aussie basketball star Ben Simmons has opened up on the mental health struggles the nearly ‘killed me’ as the Brooklyn Nets blue-chip recruit prepares to make his return to the NBA.

The prodigious talent has come under fire because of his contract release stand-off with the Philadelphia 76ers and a 486 day absence from the NBA through injury and mental health concerns.

Simmons was finally granted a release from Philadelphia to join the Nets late last season, but was unable to play because of an ongoing back injury. 

Simmons poses for a photo at Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center

Now the Aussie star has opened up on how tough that extended absence has been, the lack of support he says he received at Philly and how reaching out for help has him on the path to happiness again. 

‘I’m already dealing with a lot mentally in life, as a lot of people do, but it got to a point where after that series I’m getting the people you’re supposed to have the support from… I wasn’t getting that either so it was a toll on me,’ he told former teammate JJ Redick on The Old Man & the Three podcast.

 ‘Mentally it killed me. I was like f**k, I don’t have energy for anything and I was in a dark place and it took me a long time. 

Simmons (pictured meeting the fans at a media day in Philly this week) is ready to go for the season after a long layoff

‘The first thing for me was really to identify… it’s not a physical thing it’s mental. That first thing of acknowledging it was a huge step for me and I was like: ‘Ok, I need to address this. I need help in these areas.

‘Everything’s public, that’s the craziest part. Everybody goes through different struggles. Everyone has their own battles. [It was] tough for me; I didn’t really have that support from team mates… I don’t care about the money, I want peace and happiness and I want to be in a good place.

‘I didn’t feel like I got it [support] from coaches, teammates – I won’t say all teammates because there’s great guys on that team that did reach out and are still my friends – but I didn’t feel like I got that, and it was just a tough place for me.’

Simmons is expected to be fit for the NBA season-opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 19 but warns that he will playing whatever role he can to help the team win, whether that meets fan expectations or not.

‘I just want to go out there and impact the game in any way I can, whether it’s setting a pick, passing the ball, scoring the ball, getting a stop, rebounding the ball,’ Simmons said.

‘I don’t care about narratives, I don’t care about people saying certain things. I can’t control that – all I can do is focus on what I can do on the court, win games, and help this team win a championship.’

Ben Simmons and Royce O’Neale of the Brooklyn Nets attend a pre-season game between the Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers

While Simmons claims he lacked support at Philly, there is no such problem at the Nets with his teammates rallying around the guard – including fellow Australian Patty Mills. 

‘That’s an opportunity to win a championship and build a Brooklyn Nets culture,’ Mills said.

‘Rome was never built in a day … The ability for us to create this bond between us with the adversity that comes hopefully can tie us stronger together. 

‘I’ve supported him [Simmons] from afar for a long time now.

‘To step on the hardwood with him, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be very exciting – a hell of a combo, and what he can bring to this team is going to be through the roof.’

Fellow Aussie Patty Mills has thrown his support behind his teammate Ben Simmons

Melbourne-born Kyrie Irving also said Simmons could count on his support, not that he believes the talented guard needs it.

‘But also, he’s a big boy – he can handle it,’ Irving said.

‘He doesn’t shy away from the moment and I like that … I just want to see him bring the best out of himself, and we have to help him as teammates.’

‘Whatever greatness looks like, he wants it.’