The NBA redemption story of Ben Simmons ended Sunday when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon at practice. Simmons looked good in preseason ahead of his comeback season with the Sacramento Kings. Rumors indicated that Simmons was even trending towards starting for Sacramento to open the season, but the dream ends with the season-ending injury.
Simmons revealed his first comments on Instagram about the difficult hiccup:
“I’ve faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’ve found a way through every single one of them. This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story.
It’s never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that adversity doesn’t define you. How you respond to it does.
I’ve been knocked down before, and I’ve always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different. ❤️😤”
Simmons gave a positive statement making it clear that he doesn’t consider this the end of his NBA career. The lackluster stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets put his future in doubt when he took a full season off last year. Simmons looked close to his former All-Star level, but the torn Achilles adds another hurdle to his story.
Why Ben Simmons Wants Another NBA Comeback
Simmons had a negative reputation for years that started towards the end of his Philadelphia 76ers tenure. Passions for outside projects and fashion saw fans questioning if Simmons truly loved the game of basketball.
The process of battling back from his previous injuries and terrible reputation showed Simmons loving the game enough to work on the recovery. Sacramento took a chance on Simmons after Russell Westbrook announced his retirement to open the backup point guard slot.
Simmons got extremely close to his goal with strong progress looking close to his stellar play five years ago. Getting that close makes Simmons want to fight for this again next season. The Kings will likely have Simmons on the roster and hope to rehabilitate him since they are not contending any time soon.
Can Ben Simmons Come Back Again?
The preseason success for the Kings was not expected nor predicted by most NBA pundits. Simmons didn’t look like an NBA player when he last played, but Sacramento and other teams like the Golden State Warriors wanted to give him another shot.
The Kings have loved Simmons for years and initially wanted to trade Tyrese Haliburton for him before they did the Domantas Sabonis trade. Sacramento is on a rebuilding process and will give Simmons the same opportunity to return unless something unexpected happens before next training camp.
Simmons will have to work even harder this time next year to have a chance of playing strong minutes. Unfortunately, this is a more severe injury that requires more time and patience. The odds are likely against Simmons, but his mindset is positive, and he has a team that fully believes in him.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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