Tim McMahon reveals harsh truth about impact of Ben Simmons' back injury, opines he won't be a "top 50 athlete" let alone top 5

When Ben Simmons first enterted the league, he had the potential to be one of the NBA's next elite young stars. However, his career was derailed in 2021 for a multitude of reasons.

Following a dismal performance in the playoffs, Ben Simmons requested that the Philadelphia 76ers trade him. When he finally got his wish, it took a year for him to debut with his new team.

While ramping up to join the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons suffered a back injury that kept him out the entire 2022 season. This lingered into this season, where he only appeared in 42 games.

During a recent epsiode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN's Tim McMahon gave his thoughts on Simmons after the former No. 1 pick claimed to be 100%. He feels back injuries are tough to come back from and he'll never be the athlete he once was.

"Back surgeries sap athleticism I don't think it's reasonable to think he's ever going to be, forget top 5 like a top 50 athlete in the league again," McMahon said.

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Can Ben Simmons return to the player he was earlier in his career?

When Ben Simmons first entered the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, he was an elite athlete. Standing at 6-foot-10, he had the speed and agility to play the point guard position. His athleticism also allowed him to defend all five positions, turning him into a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Tim McMahon might not feel this way, but a case can be made that Simmons has a chance to return to form. He might never be fully 100%, but he could get close.

For starters, Simmons is still young. At 27-years-old, his body is still at his peak. This should allow him to recover from whatever back injuries he's been dealing with over the past two years.

Another thing to cite is advances in medicine and physical therapy. We've seen NBA players come back from worse injuries, and guys are playing longer than ever before. Between this two factors, some hope should be held out for Simmons to turn things around.

Even if he doesn't return to being a top 50 athlete, Simmons should still out-perform what he did in 2023. The Brooklyn Nets have a revamped roster after two superstar trades, which might give him a fresh start.

Coming off career-lows in points, rebounds and assists, Simmons can only go up as he prepares for a comeback year.