Ben Simmons Eyeing NBA Comeback?

Former NBA star Ben Simmons recently teased a potential comeback in an Instagram post, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays.

“I wouldn’t change the story. The highs, the lows, the pain, the time, the lessons. I embrace all of it,” Simmons wrote alongside a picture of himself near a basketball hoop. “Every chapter built something in me that I couldn’t have built any other way. Grateful for where I’ve been. Proud of where I stand. Ready for wherever this goes.”

Simmons, who turned 30 years old last month, was out of the league last season despite drawing interest last summer from multiple teams. He told Andscape in late December he was working toward an NBA comeback, later clarifying that he wasn’t in a rush to sign a new contract due to the recurring back issues that resulted in him playing – and living – through pain for several years.

Simmons said in December that he was focused on becoming “bulletproof” to avoid more health-related setbacks. He told Men’s Health in late June that he was still contemplating an NBA comeback, but he didn’t have a specific team in mind.

“Maybe I’ll go back to Philly,” Simmons said in June. “Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami. I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture.”

The first overall pick of the 2016 draft, Simmons missed the entire 2016/17 season after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in training camp. The 6’10” point guard was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2017/18 after averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 81 appearances with the 76ers (33.7 minutes per game).

Simmons made three straight All-Star games from 2019-21, earned a third-team All-NBA spot in 2019/20, and was named first-team All-Defense in ’19/20 and ’20/21. The Australian was also runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in ’20/21.

However, Simmons missed the entire 2021/22 campaign due to a holdout and back injury, which required surgery in May 2022. He continued to battle back issues and underwent a second surgery in March 2024. Simmons made just 108 appearances with the Nets and Clippers from 2022-25, averaging 5.9 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.8 RPG and 1.0 SPG in 23.9 MPG.