A former No. 1 draft pick seems ready for a massive comeback season

Due to injuries and trades, some talented players never return to being the players they once were. Whether it's a lack of confidence or their body not performing as well as it once did, athletes can lose their jobs in an instant, especially in the NBA.

Life in the NBA is fast-paced, and talented players can be left behind in a heartbeat. This former top pick knows that better than anyone.

“Ben Simmons is back playing basketball at an All-Star level,” NBA coach Chris Brickley wrote in a recent Instagram post. “Great preseason training.”

Simmons was selected No. 1 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft after a fantastic freshman year at LSU. The 6-foot-1 guard was compared to LeBron James and Magic Johnson coming out of college, and for a while, those comparisons seemed to be accurate.

Throughout his tenure with the Sixers, the playmaker struggled to develop a jump shot, and over time, it seemed to affect his confidence. After a poor performance in the 2021 postseason, Philadelphia's rowdy fans turned against Simmons, leading to a series of events following the soured relationship.

Simmons was injured the next season and refused to play for the 76ers. At the time, the Brooklyn Nets were going through a difficult period, with one of their star players demanding a trade. Ultimately, the stars aligned and after months of drama, Simmons landed in Brooklyn as part of a deal with Philadelphia to sign James Harden.

Since joining the Nets, the 28-year-old has struggled with injuries again. The guard has played a total of 57 games in two and a half seasons with his new team.

However, NBA coach Chris Brinkley posted several training videos during the offseason claiming that the former All-Star is fully healthy and back to his old self.

This report should be a welcome sign for Brooklyn fans who desperately need good news for their team.

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