Ben Simmons impressed in his preseason debut for the Sacramento Kings, playing nine minutes in their five-point loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Simmons finished with seven points on 2-for-4 shooting, one assist and two turnovers.
Shot creation is a weakness in Simmons' game, but he looked confident with his two makes. He drove downhill with control coming off the pick-and-roll, determining what look Draymond Green was willing to give up.
The 30-year-old attacked Green's chest and hit a turnaround right-hand hook shot for his first basket. Simmons nailed an impressive 12-foot stepback jumper several possessions later.
He made 3-for-4 free throws in his limited time. For fans who have mocked his awkward shooting form on social media, Simmons showed promise in his debut.
Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. praised his veteran in his post-game press conference. Acuff said he's still as fast as he was in his rookie year, and he's a great vet and leader.
The rookie's support adds to the compliments Simmons has received from Kings coach Doug Christie and Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Christie has said he's enjoyed being around the 6-foot-10 forward and recognizes the greatness he brings to Sacramento.
Simmons is a high-level playmaker at his size and a versatile defender. Running the pick-and-roll in the first quarter suggests he'll likely be the ball-handler when Acuff rests.
He has the instincts to probe when driving downhill and surveying the defense. That patience lets the big man roll hard and opens multiple options for Simmons: pass to the roller, score or find an open shooter.
The 6-foot-10 forward guards multiple positions on the other end of the court. Simmons can match up against crafty wings on the perimeter and can bang down low in the post with bigs.
His two-way skill set made him a star with the Philadelphia 76ers. He made three consecutive All-Star appearances from 2019 to 2021, was on the All-Rookie First Team in 2017-18, was on the All-Defense First Team back-to-back from 2019 to 2020 and was on the All-NBA Third Team in 2019.
Simmons took last season off to recover from injuries that plagued his three-year tenure with the Brooklyn Nets. He aimed to return to his prime with Philadelphia.
A seven-point performance in nine minutes doesn't scream amazing, but how Simmons looked -- he regained his confidence. He's an X-factor to Sacramento's success this season, giving the team two-way versatility it lacked last season.