On January 25, Beijing time, Nets player Ben Simmons said that the back surgery he underwent in March last year made him doubt whether he would play in the NBA again, and he considered retiring at that time.

That surgery addressed a pinched nerve in Simmons' lower back, and it was his second back surgery in three years. "Last summer, there were a couple of times when I was like, 'I don't know if I can do it. I may have to stop playing,'" Simmons said on the podcast.

Simmons continued: "I have to think about it, it's hard enough physically, mentally, it's just so hard to come back from an injury like that and go through the recovery process for the second summer in a row. But like I said, it's a day-by-day thing. You just have to stick with it one day at a time. ”

Simmons played in 30 of the first 45 games of the season. He underwent his first back surgery in May 2022 to treat a herniated disc and a second two years later.

Simmons said on a podcast that the second surgery was "very different." The first surgery eased the pain, and Simmons said the second surgery made him feel like he had a 'new body.'"

"You start to see this progress, your body adapting to what you can do and what you want to do, and your mind connects to that," Simmons said. I'm finally back. ”

When asked what drove him through the recovery process, Simmons said, "My state of mind. ”

"I can't stop there. I'm not going to stop there. I want to compete, I'm a competitor, I like to play basketball, I like to win," Simmons said. "I've experienced so much in the last two and a half years."

Although he has missed 15 games so far this season, Simmons is on track to reach his highest single-season appearance total as a Nets player this spring. In the last two seasons, he has played in a total of only 57 games. So far this season, Simmons is averaging 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.

Simmons will become a full free agent after the season, but with his annual salary of up to $40 million this season, he is likely not a trade target. The Nets are more likely to keep Simmons on the roster after the Feb. 7 trade deadline than to buy him.