Ben Simmons will have surgery to alleviate pain in his back caused by a herniated disc, the Brooklyn Nets have confirmed.
The procedure will be done on Thursday, US time. The Nets said the surgery was decided upon after consultation with multiple back specialists.
Simmons sat out the entire 2021/2022 season. The number one pick in the 2016 NBA draft didn't play at previous team Philadelphia after requesting a trade, citing mental health concerns.
After he was dealt to Brooklyn in February in a deal for James Harden, he was bothered by the back while trying to rebuild his conditioning.
The Nets originally said he had back spasms but later said the problem was a herniated disc.
Simmons eventually resumed workouts and hoped to make his debut during the playoffs.
He was due to get on court for Brooklyn in their must-win game when trailing the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs.
That plan was scrapped when he experienced more back pain and withdrew before the game, drawing fierce criticism from pundits and ex-players for a perceived lack of commitment.
The Celtics won game four to sweep the Nets out of the playoffs.
The Celtics' Basketball Hall of Fame player Paul Pierce responded to the news of Simmons' surgery with a pointed post on social media.
Simmons will have a microdiscectomy, in which a small fragment of the disk is removed.
The Nets said further updates will be provided after the procedure.
AP/ABC
