Nightmare happening all over again for Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons has left Brooklyn fans groaning as his return to the NBA proved to be a spectacular disaster on Thursday.

Ben Simmons. Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images.

Ben Simmons has left Brooklyn fans groaning as his return to the NBA proved to be a spectacular disaster on Thursday.

Playing in his first official NBA game for 16 months, the Aussie endured a frustrating return where he was badly exposed at both ends of the court.

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The season-opener against New Orleans was supposed to be the opportunity for the Nets to unleash their new-look offence with Simmons in the mix, but instead they were blown out by the Pelicans in ugly fashion on their own Barclay Centre court.

Simmons looked scared in offence, putting up just three shots in 23 minutes of court time.

He fouled out early in the fourth quarter, finishing with four points, five rebounds, five assists and six personal fouls.

Zion Williamson on fire. Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP.

He was also a game-worst -26 point differential while on the court.

His foul barrage came after he also fouled out in 13 minutes in his recent pre-season game.

On top of that shaky start, Simmons was also badly bullied when guarding Pelicans star Zion Williamson one-on-one. Williamson put up 25 points and nine rebounds.

The low point came in the first half when Simmons was sent to the free-throw line and missed both attempts.

The display had Nets fans openly groaning as the match began to slip away early.

ben simmons just missed two free throws and the crowd at barclays doesn't know what to do with itself

— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) October 20, 2022

The Nets crowd already appears to be concerned about Ben Simmons's free throw shooting.

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) October 20, 2022

Thur Ben Simmons Free throw groan at Barclays has begun

— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) October 20, 2022

Others were scathing of his all-round performance.

Brooklyn needs to send Ben Simmons down to the Long Island Nets. He looked godawful tonight.

— Jake Winderman (@jakewinderman) October 20, 2022

This is not the debut Ben Simmons could’ve imagined with the Nets. It’s a poor showing so far and the Nets are getting blown out.

— Carlan Gay (@TheCarlanGay) October 20, 2022

Simmons’ unwillingness to shoot has been the biggest criticism of his game since he began his NBA career.

He famously fell out with the Philadelphia 76ers after he passed up an open dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 playoffs and was thrown under the bus by Sixers coach Doc Rivers and then teammate Joel Embiid.

Simmons was traded from the Sixers to Brooklyn midway through last season but didn’t play a single game for his new team as the Nets were thrashed by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

NBA players and pundits unloaded on Simmons for sitting out. American sportscaster Stephen A. Smith delivered the most brutal smackdown, saying Simmons “might also be the weakest, most pathetic excuse for a professional athlete we’ve ever seen in not just American history but the history of sport”.