‘I am grateful simply to have the ability to step on that ground’

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons made his long-awaited debut together with his new staff on Monday after virtually a 12 months and a half away from the sport.

After pushing for a commerce out of Philadelphia whereas citing psychological well being considerations after which coping with offseason again surgical procedure, Simmons stated he felt “wonderful” whereas scoring six factors, dispensing 5 assists and grabbing 4 rebounds over 19 minutes in Monday’s 127-108 preseason loss to the 76ers.

“I am grateful simply to have the ability to step on that ground,” Simmons stated. “Step on an NBA ground once more. I had plenty of enjoyable on the market.”

Whereas Simmons confirmed some comprehensible rust at occasions, he appeared to be shifting up and down the ground properly after a 470-day break between video games. Previous to Monday, Simmons final performed in an NBA sport in June 2021 when the Sixers misplaced in Recreation 7 of the Japanese Convention semifinals to the Atlanta Hawks.

“That is the one factor, I believed I used to be going to be nervous,” Simmons stated. “However I wasn’t nervous. I used to be excited.”

The Nets have loads of points to shore up defensively shifting ahead. Nonetheless, gamers and coaches had been excited by what they noticed from Simmons on the offensive finish — particularly taking part in alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

“I used to be telling him at halftime, while you’re taking part in with some high-level gamers, regardless of what you heard, we’ll make the sport simple for you,” Irving stated. “And he will love taking part in with us. He will love getting up and down the ground with us. However for him to be on the market for his first day, and for us to expertise it with him, is one thing that we will bear in mind for the remainder of the season as one thing that we obtained by. It is day one, extremely anticipated. Glad it went his manner tonight.”

Simmons stated taking part in towards a few of his previous Sixers teammates “felt like a standard sport, actually.” Philadelphia middle Joel Embiid, guard James Harden and ahead P.J. Tucker sat out Monday’s sport.

Nets coach Steve Nash is aware of the expertise that Simmons, Durant and Irving are getting whereas taking part in collectively within the preseason is essential.

“I used to be happy general,” Nash stated. “I feel it is all so new. We obtained to undergo this. Guys want time collectively. Ben’s taking part in with a very completely different unit than he has prior to now, completely different fashion. … It may be ugly at occasions, however I believed because the half wore on you undoubtedly began to see glimpses of the potential. The best way the ball moved. The best way they had been hounding the basketball defensively. I believed Ben appeared fairly good general and grew into the sport by the half.”

Durant echoed the same sentiment. After virtually a decade and a half within the league, he is aware of that it takes time for excellent gamers to be taught one another’s respective video games, however he’s assured that Simmons will discover his rhythm with the Nets pretty rapidly. Like many throughout the Nets group, Durant was simply comfortable Simmons was again on the ground and producing Monday — like a number of different stars throughout the league who’re getting back from varied accidents.

“Being away for a 12 months, you get plenty of anxiousness not taking part in,” Durant stated. “I do know I did. Simply anxious to see how I am taking part in, the place I will play, what my position is on the staff. However as a fan of the sport, Kawhi [Leonard] being again is nice for basketball, Jamal Murray being again is nice for basketball, all the fellows which were out injured and having the ability to play once more, it is a terrific feeling seeing them on the market.”

Simmons appeared each relieved and noticeably comfortable after the sport that he was lastly in a position to play together with his new Nets teammates. He believes higher days are forward for each himself and his new staff.

“It was enjoyable messing up as a result of I understand how good we might be,” Simmons stated. “And seeing simply completely different seems and alternatives there with Kevin and Ky and Joe [Harris]. Seeing the place they need the ball and simply how issues are going to work and stream. However the one manner you be taught is to make errors so I had a couple of on the market tonight and I can return and watch movie and say I do know what I did improper and how one can repair that. So it is all a studying course of for me so it is good.”