Don't Worry, Ben Simmons Can Assure You That He's 'Not That Bad At Basketball'

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For the diehard NBA fans out there, Monday marked the official start of the 2024-25 season with media days taking place around the league. The Brooklyn Nets held media availability on Monday, and in what may be seen as a surprise to some, Ben Simmons was in attendance and spoke with reporters.

Based on his comments, it's easy to see why he seemed practically giddy to speak with the press, as he wanted to remind the world that he's still a pretty good basketball player.

Over the course of his last two seasons with the Nets, Simmons has played in a total of just 57 games, including just 15 last season after back surgery ended his campaign early. His latest back procedure marked the second time he's gone under the knife to repair his back in just three year's time.

You couple multiple back surgeries with mental battles that he's been open about less than a handful of years ago, and, well, Simmons has picked up his plethora of doubters heading into what will be his seventh NBA season.

It's not all doom and gloom, at least not for Simmons personally, because as he was reminded by a reporter that he's 14th in NBA history in triple-doubles, he hit the room with a to-the-point quote: "I'm not that bad at basketball."

In another media session, he shared a similar message by saying "I'm pretty good, right?"

If it feels like we've seen this movie before, it's because we have. This season will mark yet another ‘revenge tour’ for the former first-overall pick given the many setbacks he's endured.

As for Simmons' message about not being "bad" at basketball, nobody is trying to make the legitimate claim that he can't play. You don't make it to the NBA without being the elite of the elite, but we're living in the year 2024 where logic takes a backseat in most situations.

Simmons is a legitimately fun player to watch when healthy, but his entire career has turned into one giant question mark involving his health status.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.