The Brooklyn Nets announced on Friday that point guard Ben Simmons will be out for the foreseeable future due to a back injury.
The Nets wrote on Twitter that the former All Star has been diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back, and that he’ll be out of their lineup as they determine “the best long-term course of treatment.”
Ben Simmons Medical Update: pic.twitter.com/kRcxsjrHLG
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 24, 2023
Simmons was once a top player in the NBA. He was named the Rookie of the Year in 2018 after averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.1 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed up his strong rookie campaign with two consecutive seasons shooting over 55 % from the field, according to Pro Basketball Reference. His play as a member of the 76ers earned him three All Star selections in his first four seasons.
When Simmons forced his way out of Philly in February 2022, he’s suffered a serious drop off in production. His points, assists, and rebounds all took a dive the moment he joined the Nets. To boot, the last time Simmons played for Brooklyn he came off the bench.
There are only two reasonable answers to why the former number one NBA draft pick has turned into a such a shell of his former self so quickly. The first is is that the Nerdlucks from SpaceJam stole his skills sometime during his move from Philadelphia to Brooklyn last year. The second is he’s cursed from dating supermodel Kendall Jenner from the Kardashian clan from 2018 – 2020. With my expertise from afar, I have to believe the latter.
The Kardashians have derailed the careers of multiple athletes after having relationships with them. NBA champion Tristan Thompson saw his career in the league turn sideways after dating Khloe Kardashian and having a baby with her in 2018. Off the heels of his relationship with Khloe, the dominant rebounder bounced around the NBA and was demoted to a bench player. After spending nine seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and playing in four straight NBA Finals with them, Thompson played for the Boston Celtics, the Sacramento Kings, the Indiana Pacers, and the Chicago Bulls, all in a timespan of two years. Thompson could never find his footing with any other club and is now a free agent.
If Thompson never got entangled with a Kardashian, he could still be the Cavaliers’ starting center as they prepare for the postseason. (RELATED: Luka Doncic’s Complaining Lands Him In Hot Water As He’s Fined $35,000 For ‘Inappropriate’ Gesture)
Blake Griffin’s career in the NBA also took a tumble too after dating a Kardashian. Griffin and Kendall Jenner dated from 2017 to 2018, with the supermodel often sitting courtside at Los Angeles Clippers games while Griffin was still a member of the team. When the relationship ended, Griffin’s basketball career immediately went downhill. Like Thompson, Griffin has bounced around the NBA since his separation from Jenner. The six-time All Star has played for the Detroit Pistons, the Brooklyn Nets, and now the Boston Celtics in a few short years.
Ben Simmons may have had the biggest downfall in sports history pic.twitter.com/Xglw3mKG1O
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 25, 2023
Ever since Simmons and Jenner split, Simmons has gotten drastically worse as an NBA player. Like many other promising players in the past, Simmons has been cursed by getting involved in the circus that is the Kardashian family. There’s no other plausible explanation for why he’s sucked so badly since 2020, after looking like the second coming of LeBron James.
Hopefully he can recover. If not, the next basketball team that he plays for may be overseas.