Tiny Flame Of Joy Extinguished In Sacramento

Where the Sacramento Kings are concerned, all "joy" is relative. But this team, which projects to be among the NBA's worst, enjoyed one charming preseason storyline: the apparent revival of Ben Simmons as an actual rotation player. The basketball gods have chosen to deprive them and their fans of even this meager comfort.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday that Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a Kings practice, ending his season before it really began. Simmons, a former All-NBA selection, went completely unsigned during the 2025-26 season. He deliberately distanced himself from basketball during that time, not even watching a game until the playoffs.

That distance allowed the 30-year-old to pursue a maritime passion— sport fishing —and also allowed him to rebuild himself into a player good enough to sign the veteran minimum for a team projected by ESPN to win 21.7 games. "I didn't touch a ball for the whole year," Simmons told reporters at Kings media day.

"I didn't watch basketball. I just focused on getting my body right and my mind right." Multiple back surgeries had siphoned away his former athleticism. But Simmons observed a "night and day" difference in his mental health, after allowing his back to heal in his year off; affirmed his love of the sport; and, when asked if he could get back to his old self, said: "He's there.

He woke up." Indeed, Simmons looked reasonably awake in last week's preseason blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He logged 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and, most impressive of all, drew four free throws and made all of them. Sure, why not?

For certain perverts within the Defector basketball cohort, the sight of Simmons throwing transition dimes was nostalgic, electric, and an only partially ironic source of pleasure. His quotes were encouraging, as was his willingness to direct his gaze at the hoop and launch the sphere toward it.

A version of Ben Simmons that can play pretty good defense across multiple positions and get into the paint without deathly fear of contact is good enough to soak up some minutes for the dregs of the Western Conference. Also, it's hard not to root for the redemption of any figure reviled mostly by Philadelphians.

"Ben is SO BACK!!!" crowed the NBA Australia YouTube account. The optimism didn't even get to last until opening day. Simmons posted the following statement on his Instagram story Sunday night: I’ve faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’ve found a way through every single one of them.

This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story. It’s never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that adversity doesn’t define you.

How you respond to it does. I’ve been knocked down before, and I’ve always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different.

❤️😤 This injury news unfortunately coincided with the release of an ESPN documentary about Simmons: Being Ben , which "explores the ups and downs of his time in the league and the lifelong passion he has for fishing." Keep your head up, king.