"I was trying to give it another shot..." NBA No. 1 overall pick, returns after a year off only to suffer another season-ending injury... Simmons suffers Achilles tendon rupture

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Another injury. Ben Simmons (30), who was once considered one of the top prospects representing the National Basketball Association (NBA), spent an entire year resting and preparing for a comeback, but this time he has encountered a major setback in the form of a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Reuters reported on the 19th (Korean time) that "Simmons of the NBA's Sacramento Kings injured his right Achilles tendon during practice, and an MRI confirmed a rupture." He is effectively out for the season.

The Australian-born Simmons was unable to play in a single game during the 2025-2026 season. He has suffered from various minor and major injuries over the past few years, and after undergoing back surgery, he went through rehabilitation while preparing to return to the NBA court.

It seemed as though he had finally secured another opportunity with Sacramento.

Reuters explained that "Simmons left a good impression on Sacramento team officials during offseason training this year and agreed to a one-year contract while preparing for his NBA return."

However, he suffered another major injury ahead of the season. This time, it is a ruptured Achilles tendon, which could be fatal to his playing career.

Simmons was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

He left a strong impression immediately upon entering the NBA stage. He won the Rookie of the Year award for the 2017-2018 season and was selected as an All-Star for three consecutive seasons during his final three years with Philadelphia. Possessing great height, superior athleticism, and passing skills on par with a point guard, he was once evaluated as the next-generation star who would lead the NBA.

However, injuries increasingly held him back as time passed.

Simmons, who also experienced conflicts with his team in Philadelphia, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets during the 2021-2022 season. However, due to a back injury, he did not play a single game in the season of his transfer while wearing the Brooklyn uniform. He finally made his debut for his new team in the 2022-2023 season.

Back problems recurred thereafter. In the 2024-2025 season, he played a total of 51 games with Brooklyn and the LA Clippers, but the 2025-2026 season was once again lost entirely.

He dreamed of another comeback ahead of this season. By signing a contract with Sacramento, he gained the opportunity to continue his NBA career and prepared for the new season through team training.

However, this time his Achilles tendon was torn. For Simmons, who was once considered one of the league's greatest talents, another harsh period of long rehabilitation has arrived.

Meanwhile, Simmons has appeared in 383 games in his NBA career, recording averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. Of these, he started in 344 games.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original