SAN FRANCISCO — Other than drinking a smoothie, an excited Ben Simmons didn’t eat all day before playing his first NBA game in a year, five months and 27 days.
The Sacramento Kings didn’t make it easy for Simmons to return, placing him straight into the starting lineup for Saturday’s preseason game. Just before tipoff, Golden State forward Draymond Green congratulated the 6-foot-10, 240-pound guard, who earned the first tip.
Simmons had seven points on 2-of-4 shooting and added an assist in nine minutes in the Kings’ 111-106 loss to the Warriors. The 30-year-old was back on the pitch in his old number 25 for the first time after taking a season off to heal his back, knees and mind.
Even though that preseason game didn’t count in Simmons’ rankings or career stats, it was “a fresh start” he needed.
“When you’re not hungry, you’re a little anxious. But you want to feel something,” Simmons told Andscape. “Feeling (the action of the game) is a different feeling. It’s like feeling the bite of a fish. It’s just two different feelings. That feeling, you can’t duplicate it. I wasn’t nervous. I was like, ‘Let’s do it!’ Let’s go! “
“It feels like the start of a new era after being away and coming back, which is really cool and a good feeling.”
Simmons is the subject of “Being Ben,” an ESPN E:60 and Andscape documentary premiering October 18 at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and broadcast immediately thereafter.
In “Being Ben,” the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft opens up about the highest of highs of his basketball journey – from his youth in Australia to his high school performances in America, at LSU and with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year also plummets to his lowest ebbs — missing his first season as a professional due to injury, struggling in the playoffs before requesting a trade to the 76ers and succumbing to a back injury with the Brooklyn Nets.
The E:60 profile also highlights Simmons’ lifelong love of fishing, including purchasing a 50% stake in professional fishing club South Florida Sails in December 2025.
“Being Ben” was produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Julian Gooden. Those interviewed include former 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, former 76ers teammate Danny Green, Washington Wizards guard Trae Young, former 76ers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce, Simmons’ godfather and former coach David Patrick and Australian men’s national basketball team head coach Adam Caporn.
Simmons said he “can’t wait” for “Being Ben” to air.
“What I want people to take away from this is that outside of the game, I am who I am,” Simmons said. “But I love the game. I wouldn’t have gone through all this (rehab) to not play. I love this game. I love to play. I love to compete. And my game is my game.”
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In fact, Simmons wasn’t high on the Kings’ radar, even in the midst of free agency over the summer. But after the three-time NBA All-Star showed he was healthy during an Australian national team mini-camp in Melbourne in early August, interest around the league began to intensify. Patrick told Kings assistant coach Brendan Suhr — who also coached Simmons at LSU — how well the guard played.
After a conversation with Suhr, Kings general manager Scott Perry traveled to Miami to watch Simmons practice in late August.
“Back when he was competing with the Australian national team, I got a few calls from people in Australia mentioning the fact that Ben Simmons is here and he’s playing really, really well, he’s looking healthy again and a little reminiscent of his Philadelphia days,” Perry told E:60.
The New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors were also interested in Simmons, according to sources, but none offered a contract. However, once Perry was scheduled to practice in Miami, Simmons was so confident the Kings would sign him that he began looking at homes in Sacramento, he told E:60.
Sure enough, shortly after practice and a positive conversation with Perry, Simmons would have a contract offer.
“One of my big questions for him was, ‘OK, why?’ “Perry told E:60. “‘Basically, you hadn’t played in two years. You’ve made a lot of money. You’ve been under a lot of scrutiny. Why are you doing this?’
“Two things really struck me about his response. First, ‘Scott, this is the first time I’ve been really healthy in two years.’ And the second, very important thing he said was, “Scott, I miss playing basketball. »
A few days after practicing for Perry, Simmons traveled to Sacramento, where he practiced in front of Kings head coach Doug Christie and other staff members. The Kings signed Simmons to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million, announced on September 8.
Sacramento was a worst 22-60 in the Western Conference last season, but Simmons told E:60 that he was excited to join the franchise in part because “they wanted me.”
“When you’ve done something your whole life and you’re used to it, it’s a big part of who I am,” Simmons said. “I know what I am without basketball now. But I also know that it’s a big part of my life now. I’m just grateful to be able to compete and play. And also to know that when that’s done, I have (another) part of my life, which is cool.”
Simmons, who was out of uniform for the Kings’ first two preseason games, told Andscape after his nine-minute debut Saturday that he feels good physically and expects his minutes to be increased to 18 minutes in the preseason against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and 27 against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
“Ben can do anything,” Christie said. “There’s no no-go zone. He can guard one through five. He can play one through five. In preseason, there’s an experimental part of what we’re doing. We’re trying to see rotations and minutes and lineups. First and foremost, (I’m) just excited for him – proud of him and for him as he gets back on the court. I’m super excited.”
Simmons said: “The plan is to keep building and building. I felt really good, I felt confident out there.”
Simmons is expected to remain in the starting lineup alongside rookie guard Darius Acuff for the season opener on Oct. 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The last time he played more than 51 NBA games in a season was during the 2020-21 campaign, when he recorded 58 with Philadelphia, his goal is to play all 82 this season with Sacramento.
“It makes it a lot easier for me,” Acuff said of playing with Simmons. “I can pass and score. So when he’s in there, I can just let him do it and I do it myself and play with the ball a little bit. And I don’t mind doing that at all. It’s great to have him, man. He’s still as fast as we saw him when he first came out. He still looked like Ben, so it’s great to have him out there. He’s a great veteran, a great leader.”
When asked by Andscape what the best part of his comeback was, Simmons took a moment before answering, “All of it.”
“Just being back in this moment. Being able to play. Every detail,” Simmons said. “Warming up. Greeting the referees. Everything that goes with it. It’s cool to be back.”
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