Australian star Ben Simmons' comeback attempt is over before the start of the NBA regular season after he suffered a devastating Achilles tendon injury at practice.
Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a live drill just three days out from Sacramento's season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers and will undergo surgery.
The 30-year-old had signed a one-year deal with the Kings in an attempt to revive a career ravaged by a series of significant injury setbacks.
He had shown promising flashes in pre-season, including a productive 26 minutes in a loss to San Antonio.
It led to high praise from a host of NBA greats, including eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard, who predicted a successful return for the Melbourne-born talent.
"Ben Simmons going to have the greatest comeback story in NBA history!" Howard posted on X last week.
NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin also recently backed three-time All-Star Simmons to reproduce some of his best basketball this season.
"He is incredibly talented, he's a big body and he can defend so many positions," Griffin said at the NBA on Prime launch in New York.
"Downhill he gets to the rim and he's a great passer.
"I want to see a great year from him because he's a special talent and I think the league is better off with a guy like him in it."
The latest injury setback continues a rough few years for the former No.1 draft pick, who was named Rookie of the Year and a three-time All-Star before his career went off the rails.
Simmons shot to prominence with the Philadelphia 76ers but sat out the 2021/22 season while dealing with mental health concerns and physical injuries.
He sought a trade and landed in Brooklyn, where he spent two-and-a-half injury-riddled seasons, and finished the 2024/25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Simmons was cut at the end of that campaign and sat out all of last season, leading critics to question whether he had lost his love for basketball.
He rubbished those claims after inking his return with Sacramento and was set to play a key role for the rebuilding Kings alongside rookie Darius Acuff and fellow veteran Zach LaVine.