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Ben Simmons returns to NBA after a season out of action.
Australian prodigy and former 1st pick in the NBA Draft has signed a deal with the Sacramento Kings, going to the Western Conference for the first time in his career.
In an interview on the Aussie Hoops Hour for ESPN's affiliate in Australia and New Zealand, long time NBA veteran and NBA champion Richard Jefferson talked about Simmons.
Jefferson wanted to calm down the media and people about Simmons, before they start creating unnecessary hype:
"I think you should have no expectations. There are certain basketball things, just like many other sports, as much as it is physical, it is mental."
"Ben's always have the talent. Ben has the talent to be an All-Star this year. If Ben goes and has the best season, he's healthy, his back is right, he has the talent to be an all-defensive player, to be a defensive player of the year level talent because he can guard one through five positions," Jefferson said.
Simmons impresses Kings, signs one-year deal
Ben Simmons is set to make his return to the NBA after taking a break from basketball during the 2025-26 season.
After expressing his desire to play again next year, Simmons left a strong impression on the Kings' front office.
Sacramento had maintained its interest in signing Simmons ever since conducting an official workout for the former NBA star last month.
Simmons has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2024-25 season, when he split time between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
He finished that season averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes across 51 regular-season games, including 24 starts.
After joining the Clippers, Simmons appeared in 18 regular-season games and averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes per contest.
He also featured sparingly in the playoffs, including seven minutes in Game 4 of the Clippers' first-round series against the Denver Nuggets.
Despite his struggles since his 76ers days, Simmons still holds career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists.