We knew surgery to repair Ben Simmons broken bone in his foot — a Jones Fracture — the only question was when.
That turned out to be Tuesday. Philadelphia announced Simmons had the operation and, of course, it was called successful (like every athletic surgery). The Sixers did not give a timetable for his return to the court.
“Our sports performance and medical staff was debriefed by Dr. Martin O’Malley (Associate Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City) following the procedure, and we were encouraged by the positive feedback,” saidDr. David T. Martin, Sixers Director of Performance Research and Development. “Moving forward, a comprehensive return to court program will be implemented for Ben, and we will closely monitor his progress throughout the rehabilitation process.”
While there have been rumors ranging from three months recovery to his agent trying to keep him sidelined for a full season, the reality with Jones fractures is recovery times are hard to pinpoint. Simmons fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot, the bone that runs from the little toe up to near the ankle in the foot, and that is an area that does not have great natural blood flow. Because of that, healing can be slow, even after surgery. If we can expect one thing from the Sixers, it’s for them to be cautious bringing back a potential franchise player.
The good news is, as evidenced by Kevin Durant and other young NBA players who have had this surgery, Simmons should bounce back and not be slowed by the injury down the line. It just may take a little time.