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Feb 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) handles the ball against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Ben Simmons Drawing Interest Beyond the NBA

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 11:11 AM ET

Ben Simmons’ days in the NBA may or may not be finished. Some reporting suggests he’s considering taking the 2025-2026 season off—if not retiring altogether.

When a fan asked Simmons on social media if he planned to retire, the three-time All-Star flat-out said no.

Maybe Simmons plays again, but in another league. According to TalkBasket, Simmons will be pursued by the NBL. The Australian guard will be pitched to return home to play hoops professionally.

via TalkBasket: NBL owner and executive director Larry Kestelman told CODE Sports that Simmons is “too good a talent not to be playing basketball” and confirmed he plans to reach out to the former No. 1 draft pick. “I hope he comes and plays for the passion of it and a deal in the NBL is somewhere where his passion could be reignited,” Kestelman said, via NBL.com.eu.

At 29, Simmons’ career has gone in a direction that not many could’ve imagined.

When he entered the NBA, he was the top prospect coming out of the NCAA in 2016. Following his LSU tenure, Simmons quickly realized he would be joining the Philadelphia 76ers after they won the top selection in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Simmons starred for the Sixers after rehabbing a foot injury during his true first season. He took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2017-2018 after posting averages of 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.1 rebounds per game in 81 matchups.

Over the next three seasons, Simmons put up All-Star production and turned into one of the best defensive players in the league. He finished his four years with the Sixers by averaging 15.9 points, 7.7 assists, and 8.1 rebounds.

Simmons infamously missed the 2021-2022 season as he held out from the Sixers and struggled with a back injury when trying to return. He played three seasons for the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.

Last season, the Nets agreed to a buyout with Simmons. Once he became a free agent, Simmons considered deals from the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers. He went with the latter team, joining them for 18 games.

Simmons appeared in five playoff matchups for the Clippers. It was his fourth playoff run since entering the NBA.

At this stage, Simmons is likely useful as a backup point guard. His scoring has seen a massive drop since he battled through injuries over time, but his playmaking and defensive value is still high enough to earn consideration from an NBA franchise.

Past reports suggested Simmons had interest from teams like the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. At this point, New York is out of the question, while the Boston interest faded quickly. Could Australia be in play? They’ll make a push, but talks haven’t gone far just yet.