Ben Simmons’ much-anticipated NBA comeback, after a year away from the court, just got slammed by a devastating Achilles tear, announced by the Sacramento Kings literally hours after ESPN premiered a documentary celebrating his return. Talk about a gut punch. The Kings shared the news that Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a live practice drill, an injury that will likely sideline him for the entire season before it even had a chance to begin.
From Rehab To Redemption, Then A Gut Punch
The Kings made one of the biggest moves this offseason by taking a chance on Ben Simmons, a former All-Star who spent all of the 2025-26 season rehabbing from lingering back and knee injuries. Everyone was hyped for his resurgence. ESPN even put together a 60-minute E60 documentary, “Being Ben,” which dove deep behind the scenes into his thoughts, emotions, and how he was overcoming past wounds to get back on the court. Hosted by Andscape senior writer Marc Spears, the film premiered on ESPN this past Sunday, October 18, at 4 p.m. ET. Spears even told USA TODAY that he spoke with Simmons the day before, and Ben was super excited for the documentary to drop. But then, in an almost unbelievable twist of fate, Spears said the Achilles injury happened “likely, probably within the hour” before the documentary even debuted. Can you imagine that emotional whiplash for everyone involved? Spears himself called it “sad” because after people watched the deeply resonant film, they got hit with this “gut punch” of news about Simmons.
The Kings Are Sticking By Their Man
This injury isn’t just a blow to Simmons, it’s a major hit for the Sacramento Kings, who were clearly banking on him. Simmons was a free agent before he committed to Sacramento, and there was huge interest in his comeback. He had even worked his way into the starting lineup during the preseason after initially being projected as the backup point guard to rookie Darius Acuff Jr. Kings head coach Doug Christie was reportedly about to make Simmons a captain, calling the injury a “gut punch” to the team. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. spoke to reporters, calling the loss “bad news” and saying it “changes a lot” for the team, but he also provided words of encouragement: “We’re all here for him. We his brothers,” Acuff said. “We just want to continue this journey for him. He got us with him through everything. He has a family in us. Just really praying for him and hope everything goes well.” The Kings are distressed, sure, but they’ve pledged their full support for his rehab journey and will continue to honor his contract, guaranteeing his $3.5 million. He played in a preseason game on October 16, driving to the basket between Keldon Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. from the Spurs, showing he was back out there.
It’s a brutal blow for Simmons and the Kings. He’s got a long rehab ahead, but at least he won’t be doing it alone, with the team pledging its full support. This season, though? It just got a whole lot tougher for Sacramento without their starting point guard.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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