Simmons undergoes season-ending back surgery

Ben Simmons has had back surgery for the second time in three years, with the Australian basketball star and the Brooklyn Nets hoping this procedure will provide the relief he needs to complete a full season.

The Nets said Simmons had a microscopic partial discectomy on Thursday to alleviate the pinched nerve in his lower back. The surgery was performed at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Centre by Dr Timur Urakov, in consultation with Dr Barth Green.

Simmons is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp next season.

Drafted No.1 overall by Philadelphia in 2016, the 2.08m Melbourne-born star missed the entire 2016-17 season with a foot injury.

He returned to win Rookie of the Year honours in 2017-18 and made three straight All-Star teams, starting in 2018-19, before falling out of favour with the 76ers.

The Sixers traded him to Brooklyn in February 2022 in a deal for James Harden, but he did not play during the 2021-22 campaign.

Simmons hurt his back as he tried to regain his conditioning after the trade, having not played for the 76ers to start that season because of mental health concerns.

He had a microdiscectomy, a procedure to remove a small fragment of a herniated disc, after the season ended.

Simmons then played in just 42 games in 2022-23 before he was shut down in March because of a nerve impingement in his lower back.

That injury returned just six games into this season and limited Simmons to only 15 games, including a stretch of 38 consecutive missed games at one point.

The Nets announced last week the three-time All-Star wouldn’t play again this season and instead would seek treatment options.

Simmons finished with averages of 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He has one year and about $40 million ($A61m) remaining on his contract.