Ben Simmons’ NBA comeback has been derailed after the Australian reportedly tore his Achilles tendon in training with the Sacramento Kings, days before he was due to return to competitive action.
The 30-year-old was expected to make his Kings debut when they open the new season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. The Clippers were Simmons’ last NBA team.
The injury is expected to rule Simmons out for the entire season, extending his absence from the league beyond 538 days. He missed all of last season while recovering physically and had shown encouraging form during pre-season with Sacramento.
Simmons had appeared set to start for the Kings after a series of promising outings. His return had also been the subject of an ESPN documentary, while former team-mate and NBA All-Star Dwight Howard had described it as the “greatest comeback story in NBA history”.
The setback also puts Simmons’ hopes of representing Australia at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles on hold. He had said a successful return to the NBA could help him earn a place with the Boomers.
During his year away from basketball, Simmons even turned to competitive fishing as he worked on his recovery. His latest injury now threatens to prolong one of the longest absences of his career just as he appeared ready to resume his NBA journey.
