Ben Simmons has had a tumultuous basketball career. The former No. 1 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft, has seen his fair share of highs and lows since entering the league.
After hearing his name called on that fateful Thursday in 2016, Simmons would soon become sidelined for an entire season. Simmons fractured his right foot during training camp while preparing for his rookie season.
While his NBA debut would have to wait for more than a calendar-year, he would pick up right where he left off at LSU two years prior. Simmons won the Rookie of the Year Award, averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game playing in 81 total games that season.
With his career headed in the right direction, he’d be named an All-Star in three consecutive seasons (2019-2021) as well as two first-team, all-defensive teams. And then, his career would take a turn for the worse — again. He’d fail to start more than 33 games in any season after that, missing two full seasons as well.
NBA Team Invites Ben Simmons to Training Camp
Despite all of the above, Simmons is on the NBA comeback-trail. And this isn’t just Simmons saying he wants to make a comeback. According to Marc Spears, a senior NBA writer for ESPN, Simmons has a legitimate offer to join the training camp of a Western Conference team.
“He does have an offer from a West team to come to a training camp,” Spears said on NBA Today on Monday.
—@MarcJSpears gives an update on Ben Simmons’ potential return to the NBA 🏀
Simmons has been seen working out and preparing for his comeback in Australia. He’s also expected to be a full participant with “zero restrictions” at a player-led private minicamp for the Australian men’s basketball team. This is scheduled to begin on Monday in Melbourne.
Spears would elaborate on the offer Simmons received, however, the team would remain a secret.
“A non-guaranteed offer. I think he’s hoping if he plays well in this training camp, with coaches like (Adam) Caporn from the Wizards and other people with NBA ties at this camp that perhaps this could lead to something else. There’s a couple other teams that are interested, so I think maybe he’ll have an option soon that he really likes,” Spears said.
Simmons Fully Invested in NBA Comeback
Simmons has played in parts of seven seasons with three different teams, the 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Los Angeles Clippers. He hasn’t realized his full potential on an NBA court since the 2020-21 season. That year he finished No. 12 in the NBA MVP vote and No. 2 in the Defensive Player of the Year Award vote.
On the path to his comeback, Simmons has also sprinkled in his personal touch. Earlier this week, he posted a heartfelt message on his official Instagram account (bensimmons).
“I wouldn’t change the story.
The highs, the lows, the pain, the time, the lessons. I embrace all of it.
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. 😤”
Time will presumably tell which Western Conference team offered him this training camp invitation. And, his performance this week in Australia could go a long way toward securing another NBA contract.
Ben Simmons Receives Training Camp Offer From Secret Western Conference Team