Ben Simmons handed NBA lifeline in one-year deal with Sacramento Kings

Australian returns on AU$4.9m contract after season on sidelines

Former No 1 pick hopes to reignite basketball career with fourth club

Australian former No 1 overall draft pick Ben Simmons has taken a significant step towards resurrecting his NBA career, agreeing a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings.

The Melbourne-born guard returns on a US$3.5m (AU$4.9m) contract after sitting out the entire 2025-26 campaign while rehabilitating back and leg injuries that have hampered him in recent years.

Simmons, who last played with the Los Angeles Clippers in April 2025, celebrated his Kings deal on social media on Saturday morning (AEST) by posting a photograph of himself wearing a team cap.

While reigniting Simmons’ NBA career, his latest move is also a step towards possible Australian Boomers selection for next year’s Fiba World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Boomers, under Washington Wizards assistant and former NBL guard Adam Caporn, are chasing a podium return after a breakthrough bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics five years ago.

Simmons spent his year out of basketball rebuilding his body and gathered momentum in his comeback bid during a Boomers mini-camp in Melbourne last month.

The former Philadelphia 76ers (2017-21), Brooklyn Nets (2022-25) and Clippers (2024-25) guard also reportedly attracted serious attention from the reigning champion New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors before he signed with Sacramento.

Simmons was drafted as the No 1 overall by Philadelphia in 2016, but missed his entire first season with a foot injury before establishing himself as one of the league’s brightest young stars.