Just when fortune seemed to be smiling on Ben Simmons’ career. Nothing could be further from the truth.
An untimely injury means he won’t even make his debut this year with the Sacramento Kings, after he recently suffered an Achilles tendon rupture during training that will force him to miss the entire season, ESPN confirmed.
It is worth recalling that Simmons had regained the NBA’s trust after convincing the Kings he deserved a place in the league.
He was pencilled in as a starter for the league debut against the Los Angeles Clippers, to share the backcourt with rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
“I have faced situations that have tested my mental, physical and emotional limits. And I have managed to overcome each one. This injury is another chapter in my career, not the end of my story,” Simmons said.
“It is never easy to be away from the sport I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there is one thing I have learned, it is that adversity does not define you. What defines you is how you respond to it,” he added.
After almost two years away from the court, Simmons has managed to return to the floor once more. Will this be the end of his professional career in the NBA?
Everything points to the Kings possibly waiving him soon, as he agreed to a one-year non-guaranteed deal.
(Cover photo: Reuters)