Ben Simmons Aims for NBA Comeback at Age 30

After spending last season on the sidelines due to injury, Ben Simmons is setting his sights on returning to the NBA at 30. Currently, he’s training with the Australian Men’s Basketball National Team, and as usual, the summer buzz is building with videos circulating of private sessions in preparation for the upcoming 2028 Olympics.

Every offseason seems to bring new footage of Simmons showcasing his supposedly improved outside shooting. But when it comes to actual games, the results haven’t quite matched the hype; he’s only made five three-pointers in 383 NBA appearances. I mean, after everything that happened last year, I honestly thought we might not see another mid-August video of him sinking jumpers. Thankfully, I was mistaken. You can catch a shirtless Simmons hitting a deep shot in the video below.

For the past decade, videos of Simmons hitting jumpers have circulated widely, with some clips dating back to July 2019.

Check out Simmons taking off his jumper during a 2021 offseason training session.

While fans often poke fun at his inconsistent shooting, it’s essential to recognize that during his peak, Simmons was undeniably talented. Drafted as the No. 1 pick in 2016, he became the 2018 Rookie of the Year, was named to the All-Defensive Team twice, and made the All-NBA Team once. He even earned All-Star honors three times in a relatively short career. Known for his elite defensive skills and extraordinary passing, Simmons was a dynamic player in transition. Unfortunately, as injuries mounted, his athleticism waned, and he seemed to shy away from playing aggressively, especially at the free-throw line. Still, he ranks impressively in terms of Box Plus-Minus and win shares per 48 minutes in his draft class.

I’m not necessarily focusing on Simmons making a comeback. But, you know, he could potentially thrive on a team like the Boston Celtics. They could surround him with shooters, utilize his passing, and let him shine defensively. While those videos of him making jumpers in an empty gym spark chatter, the real concern is whether he can regain enough health to defend effectively at a high level again.

The NBA landscape has evolved over the last ten years, but Ben Simmons still makes waves for his three-point shooting during pickup games. And, in a way, that’s kind of beautiful when you think about it.