Ben Simmons knows he needs to get his mind back into the game and stop using health issues as a shield.

It appears that Simmons is doing just that and is raring to prove their detractors wrong.

"I'd say [the hardest part was] not be able to do your job to the fullest. I never have excuses, I never tried to say anything about different things going on. But I was dealing with an injury at the time, so I did what I could in the moment," Simmons said via the New York Post.

"And I owe it to everybody, the fans and everybody, to get back to where I need to be. That's what I did this summer to get back," the three-time All-Star added.

With Simmons now believed to be fully recovered, the Nets could prove doubters wrong. The top pick of the 2016 NBA Draft knows that he is in good company, hinting that it would be foolish to overlook the Nets for the 2023-24 NBA season.

"I'm super excited to be on Brooklyn, obviously. And then we've got a great, great team, a great coach in Jacque Vaughn. So I'm excited. I think this year is gonna be a completely different year to the past couple," Simmons said to Tina Cervasio of Fox-5.

Simmons leading a new breed of Nets

Simmons finds himself at the helm following the departure of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, NBA.com reported. He is also the only current Nets who has played in an NBA All-Star game.

"Get ready for a great year. I think it's going to be exciting. We're going to have a lot of fun and get back to Brooklyn basketball," Simmons vowed.