Ben Simmons tears Achilles before Kings debut

Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a Sacramento Kings practice on Sunday, ending his comeback attempt before he could play a regular-season game for his new team.

The Kings said Simmons was hurt during a live drill and will need surgery, NBA.com reported. The 30-year-old is expected to miss the entire 2026-27 season, according to The New York Times and NBC Sports. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the injury.

Simmons responded on Instagram. “I’ve been knocked down before and I’ve always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different,” he wrote in a story shared by NBA reporter Marc Stein. He also described the injury as another chapter in his career rather than the end of his story, other outlets reported.

The injury came days before the Kings were set to open their season Wednesday night on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers, a game Simmons had been expected to start after two encouraging preseason appearances, NBC Sports reported. He averaged 10.5 points, four rebounds and four assists in those two games, according to NBA.com.

Simmons joined Sacramento in September on a one-year contract after sitting out all of last season with back and leg injuries. Reports put the deal at $3.5 million US, non-guaranteed. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported that Simmons will still receive the full amount under the league’s salary continuation provision for significant injuries, Yahoo Sports reported.

The setback is the latest in a career that has been repeatedly interrupted. The Australian was the No. 1 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016 after one season at LSU and missed his first NBA season with a foot injury. He went on to win rookie of the year in 2017-18, made three all-star teams, earned third-team all-NBA honours in 2019-20 and was named to the all-defensive first team twice, according to NBA.com.

Simmons sat out the 2021-22 season amid mental health concerns, other injuries and a push to leave Philadelphia, and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets at the 2022 deadline. Back problems limited him in Brooklyn, which waived him in February 2025. He finished that season with the Clippers, averaging 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists across his time with the Nets and Clippers, NBA.com said.

For more on this year’s off-season moves around the league, see our NBA free agency tracker.

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Sources: NBA.com; NBC Sports; Yahoo Sports.