NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is confident that “anything’s possible,” for new teammate Ben Simmons now that the talented swingman has “peace around him” in his basketball life. Irving, like coach Steve Nash, is confident that Simmons will be able to fit in quickly to the framework of the team.
“That level of talent, and IQ and motivation and drive — anything’s possible,” Irving said. “He has that ‘it’ inside of him so now we just have to slowly develop him where he knows that he can just go out there and be himself. We want him to be his highest potential of himself As a player, be able to accomplish things out on the floor that he wasn’t able to do the last few years. And just have some fun being at peace around him.
“Having a point guard 6-10, 6-11, I’m also a point guard, lead guard, whatever you want to call my position. It’s good to get off the ball and have him get up and down the floor. It’s going to take time obviously for health-wise, but we’re patient, so just wait for him to look like he’s in All-Star form again, which I know will happen soon.”
Simmons, 26, was acquired just before February’s trade deadline from the Philadelphia 76ers. He sat out the first half of last season, citing mental health, and was not able to play for the Nets after the deal was completed because of ongoing back issues, which resulted in offseason surgery. Now that he appears to be in a much better physical and mental place to start the 2022-23 season, the Nets believe he is going to have a big year.
Drawing from his own experience with things he has dealt with in his own mental health in the past, Irving is confident Simmons will be able to play at a high level again because his mind should be more at ease in Brooklyn.
“It means everything,” Irving said. “It means they come in with a peace of mind. And they just enjoy the game of basketball. It’s a profession for sure, I don’t want to knock that, it’s a seriousness about it, but building team camaraderie takes that ability to go through some uncomfortable moments and you got to be balanced mentally, spiritually, emotionally, be able to handle things like that. So I definitely have first-hand experience, I don’t want to make mental health a trend.
“In actuality, it’s one of the most important things that you need out here to be great in anything you do. We all are supportive, we all go through our own things, but we can understand and meet him where he’s at and just have him enjoy the game….
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