Ben Simmons revealed that he called out Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during a preseason game for passing on the chance to sign him.
Ben Simmons was looking like a potential steal for the Sacramento Kings this season, until an Achilles tear in the preseason cut his campaign short before it could even begin.
Position
SF, PF
Age
30
Height
208 cm
Weight
104 kg
Birth place
Melbourne, Australia
Prior to the devastating injury, Simmons was reportedly in exceptional form and close to being named a Sacramento Kings team captain by head coach Doug Christie. Now, however, he faces another long wait before attempting an NBA comeback.
Simmons was confident entering the season, flashing great potential and openly questioning other teams why they didn’t consider signing him.
According to Marc J. Spears, Simmons said he even called out Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during a preseason game after the Warriors passed on signing him.
“I said something to Steve. I said, ‘Y’all didn’t want me?’ … And [Kerr] said, ‘I didn’t know if you were healthy.’ And I was like, ‘OK. That’s why you have people that do their job and go fly out and see.’ But it is what it is. That’s just me being competitive. It wasn’t personal.'” Simmons said in an interview with Spears.
Ben Simmons sustains torn Achilles, to miss whole 2026-27 season for Kings 
Ben Simmons
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect – Scanpix
Simmons’ injury effectively ends what could have been a massive NBA comeback for the former All-Star heading into next week’s opening night.
Simmons returned to the NBA after sitting out the entire 2025-26 season to redeem himself and recover from injuries. He signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings after impressing them in a team workout last offseason.
He played in three preseason games for the Kings and showed promise in the team’s exhibition finale last Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, dropping 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 26 minutes.
The former No. 1 pick has battled injury issues in recent years, with a back complication significantly impacting his All-Star status.
While it remains unclear what comes next in his NBA career, Simmons is still keeping his head high and determined to push through despite the brutal injury.
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