Ben Simmons hasn’t played an NBA game since April 2025, but according to a report from ESPN Andscape late Sunday, his body finally isn’t the thing holding him back anymore.
The former No. 1 overall pick, who turned 30 last month, is reportedly practicing with zero restrictions and actively working toward a comeback. Part of that work has taken him to Melbourne, where he’s participating in a player-led private minicamp with the Australian men’s national team—a trip he funded himself after spending most of his recent training time in Miami, where he currently lives.
Simmons sat out the entire 2025–26 season while recovering from the back and other injuries that have defined much of his career since his early years in the league. His last NBA action came with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he appeared in 18 games across March and April of 2025.
Teams Reportedly Interested in Ben Simmons
The interest from the league appears real. The report indicates several NBA teams have already expressed interest in Ben Simmons, who is reportedly open to signing for the veteran’s minimum. One source cited in the report said he currently has a non-guaranteed offer on the table from a Western Conference team.
There’s a longer-term goal attached to the comeback, too. Simmons is looking to eventually compete for Team Australia at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which makes staying game-ready now more than just a matter of finding his next contract.
It’s a long way from where Simmons started. Philadelphia took him first overall out of LSU in the 2016 draft, and after a year sidelined by injury, he made his delayed NBA debut and won Rookie of the Year for the 2017-18 season. He went on to earn three All-Star selections and two All-Defensive Team nods before injuries began chipping away at his availability — he hasn’t played more than 58 games in a single season since 2018-19.
Across 383 career games (344 starts) with the 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Clippers, Ben Simmons has averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.5 steals. Whether he can rediscover that form after so much time away remains to be seen, but for the first time in a while, his body isn’t the variable standing in the way.
