Ben Simmons: Australian NBA guard says torn Achilles tendon ‘not the end of my story’

Ben Simmons insists his Achilles tear is “not the end of my story” despite the significant injury setback ruling him out of his comeback season before it even began.

Simmons suffered a rupture of his right Achilles tendon during a practice drill on Sunday (US time), just three days out from Sacramento’s opening game of the new NBA season.

The 30-year-old will undergo surgery and is set to miss the entire campaign, little more than a month after signing a one-year deal with the Kings.

Simmons took to Instagram shortly after his injury setback was made public and was defiant that it would not be a fatal blow to his NBA career.

“I’ve faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’ve found a way through every single one of them,” Simmons wrote.

“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.”

A three-time NBA All-Star across stints with Philadelphia and Brooklyn, Simmons was cut by the LA Clippers at the end of his most recent campaign at the top level in 2024-25 and sat out all of last season.

He had impressed in practice games and was expected to feature in a prominent role for Sacramento, who are in a rebuilding phase coming off a 22-60 season.

Simmons’ injury blow casts significant doubt over his targeted involvement in Australia’s World Cup campaign, which begins in August next year.

The Melbourne-born guard’s setback marks the third Achilles injury among NBA players in pre-season play this month, alongside Philadelphia’s Ariel Hukporti and Oklahoma City’s Otega Oweh.