Blow for Ben Simmons as he hoped to return to his best level: Achilles tendon rupture

The Australian guard suffers a serious injury to his right leg during a contact training session and will need to undergo surgery. The Sacramento Kings had bet on him to relaunch his career after spending an entire season away from the courts.

A new injury frustrates his comeback

Ben Simmons faces another tough setback in his career. As he was preparing to return to the courts after spending the entire previous season without competing due to physical problems, the Australian suffered a rupture of the Achilles tendon in his right leg. The Sacramento Kings announced the injury, which occurred during a contact training session in which the team was finalizing its preparation for the regular NBA season, which starts tomorrow.

Simmons will need to undergo surgery and, unless there is a change in expectations, will not be available throughout the 2026-27 season. The injury represents another blow for a player whose physical issues have affected him in recent years.

The Australian had been dealing with severe back pain that, after his stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, made it difficult for other franchises to take a chance on him. During the last season, he remained out of any roster while trying to recover quietly. Just when it seemed he could rise again, he faced another setback.

The Kings were counting on recovering his best version

The departure of Russell Westbrook led Sacramento to look for a veteran player capable of being a leader within the locker room. The franchise wanted a profile similar to that of the guard, both for his vocal leadership and for his ability to manage the group, and one of the names that emerged was Simmons.

The Australian, Rookie of the Year in 2018 and now 30 years old, had shown signs of being ready to return. He participated in a training camp alongside some of the best players from his home country, Australia, which was seen as a first step to relaunch his career.

The Kings then offered him a contract at the veteran minimum salary, below four million dollars for one season. Both parties reached an agreement in the hope that he could regain his place in the NBA. However, the rupture of the Achilles tendon has frustrated those plans and forces Sacramento to quickly look for a replacement.

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An injury that threatens to sideline him again for months

The new setback is especially painful for Simmons, who sought to reclaim his identity as a player since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers, the franchise where he started his NBA journey.

His physical ability and game reading were never in doubt, although his shooting was still one of the aspects he needed to improve. The goal in Sacramento was to recover a version of a player capable of directing the offense and taking advantage of his skills on the court after overcoming his previous physical issues.

The Achilles tendon injury is one of the toughest for a basketball player, and recovery usually takes around a year. Simmons had been away from the courts for 16 months when the Kings offered him the opportunity to return. After regaining sensations and approaching a new season with hope, he now faces a long recovery process again.

Similar injuries had already occurred during the preseason friendly matches with Ariel Hukporti from the Sixers and Otega Oweh from the Thunder. Furthermore, this 2026 also brought the case of Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a devastating injury during the Finals with the Indiana Pacers.

This injury is another chapter in my story, not the end

Simmons has wanted to share his feelings through social media. The Australian recalled the difficulties he has had to overcome throughout his career and stated that he will face this new challenge with the same determination.

I have already faced challenges that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I have found a way to come out of each of them. This injury is another chapter in my story, not the end of it. It was not easy to be away from the game I love the most, especially after all I have gone through to get back to it, but if there is one thing I have learned, it is that adversity does not define you, but rather the response you have. I have been knocked down before, and I have been able to rise; this time will not be different,” he wrote.

The guard now faces another long road to recover from an injury that comes just when he seemed to have a new opportunity to relaunch his career in the NBA.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mazazo para Ben Simmons cuando esperaba volver a su mejor nivel: Rotura del tendón de Aquiles