“I do feel he’s his own worst enemy” - Nick Wright says it’s easy to empathize with Ben Simmons as a person, believes it’s fair to criticize him as a basketball player

Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons remains a hot topic. After demanding a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons was acquired by the Brooklyn Nets at the NBA's trade deadline in February. But then Simmons said he had a back injury and never teamed up with superstar teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

After reports suggested he was nearing his debut in Game 4 of the first-round series with the Boston Celtics on Monday, the wing experienced another setback. Instead, he did not play or even show up to the arena as Brooklyn lost 116-112 and Boston completed the sweep.

Analyst Nick Wright said that although it's easy to criticize Simmons as a basketball player, he feels bad for Simmons as a person. It's been reported numerous times that Simmons is struggling with mental health issues. And it's clear the pressure continues to derail his confidence.

“I do feel he’s his own worst enemy on it, and I feel badly for Ben Simmons,” Wright said.

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Ben Simmons waits to make his return to the NBA court

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has yet to return to the court

The Brooklyn Nets head into the offseason hoping that additional downtime will give Simmons the proper amount of time to finally join the team. It's been a strange development for Simmons, and it's only continued to get more confusing as time has gone on.

After a disappointing playoff performance last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons was adamant that he wanted a fresh start with a new organization. So, he demanded a trade from Philadelphia. Simmons also claimed to have mental health issues as he sat out.

Once he was traded in February, news of his back injury surfaced. Simmons never made his debut for the Nets, leaving uncertainty for the future.

Plus, he declined to play for the Australian basketball team in the summer as he said he was working on his game. He missed the chance to win a bronze medal for his country in Tokyo.

What's more, he often disappeared in key moments in his one season at LSU. The Simmons situation was such a fiasco that the program declined to play in the NIT.

Fans and analysts are eager to see when Simmons finally returns. The first pick in the 2016 draft has the talent to be a dangerous addition to Boston's roster, but time will tell if Simmons is mentally ready to play again.