NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento Kings
Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons (25) during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Ben Simmons is officially back. The former No. 1 pick has signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings worth $3.5 million. He returns to the NBA after sitting out the 2025-2026 season. During his time away he became a championship fisherman.
In an interview with “Men’s Health” over the summer Simmons said he considering playing for the Miami Heat or possibly returning returning to Philadelphia, where he began his career. Both those teams are expected to make the playoffs. In the end he signed with the Kings, who are coming off on of the worst seasons in franchise history.
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Ben Simmons’ history
Simmons was drafted with the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He sat out the ’16-’17 season with an injury. He came back the next year to play 81 games and win Rookie of the Year as he averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists. The next season he made his first All-Star team. It seemed like Simmons was destined to be one of the top players in the league for a long time.
Then the injuries started. He never played more than 58 games in a season. It changed the way he played and he just couldn’t bring himself to shoot outside, no matter how many times videos popped up of him training or playing pickup where he was shooting three-pointers. Despite the fact that he was a three-time All-Star, the only play from his career that comes to mind was passing up a dunk in Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks.
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He averaged 11.6 field goal attempts a game in his four seasons playing for Philadelphia. Simmons missed the entirety of the ’22-’23 season and when he came back he just stopped shooting. He only attempted 5.6 FGA from ’22 to ’25. He hasn’t attempted a three in the NBA since February 9, 2023. And he hasn’t made one since March 17, 2021.
It will be interesting to see what he does with his opportunity with the Kings, but in recent years he has not been interesting in a good way. At least not on the basketball court.