It’s already a fact: Ben Simmons returns to the NBA

After speculation in recent weeks about a possible return to the NBA after more than a year away from the courts, this Friday the rumors were confirmed. Ben Simmons, three times named All-Star throughout his career, will return to the league for this upcoming 2026-27 campaign.

The Australian, now 29 years old, will do so with the Sacramento Kings, with whom he reached an agreement for the minimum -3.5 million dollars- and for a single season. The forward will return to the NBA after playing for the last time with the LA Clippers in 2025 and after, apparently, having overcome all the physical problems that hindered him during his last time in the league.

Simmons’ return to the spotlight came not long ago, during a training camp in early August with the Australian national team. His good physical condition generated expectation and interest from some NBA teams, who were attentive to the evolution of the Australian forward. Weeks later, after impressing the Kings’ leaders in a private training session and undergoing an exhaustive medical examination, the Californian franchise decided to make a low-risk bet and sign the Melbourne-native player for this next season.

After putting a stop to his time in the NBA at the end of the 2024-25 season with the Clippers, Simmons chose to get away from the noise of the league for a while, which he took advantage of to, among other things, delve into professional fishing on a team in South Florida. In July, in an interview he claimed to be in his best physical condition “in years”, hinting at his imminent return to competition.

Throughout his career, the number 1 pick in the 2016 Draft from LSU averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals in seven seasons in the NBA spread across the Sixers, Nets and Clippers.