'Not the end': What's next for Ben Simmons

• Ben Simmons is believed to have torn his Achilles tendon at Kings practice
• ESPN's Shams Charania reports the injury is suspected to be season-ending
• The Australian had impressed through Sacramento's training camp and preseason

Australian point-forward Ben Simmons is facing surgery and a long rehab after the Sacramento Kings said an MRI confirmed he tore his right Achilles tendon at practice on Sunday, October 18 (US time).

The Kings' said Simmons will undergo surgery and there is no timeline for his return.

"I've faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I've found a way through every single one of them," Simmons posted on Instagram.

"This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story.

"It's never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that adversity doesn't define you. How you respond to it does.

"I've been knocked down before, and I've always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different."

The injury landed on the same day ESPN premiered his documentary, Being Ben, and days after his final preseason game.

In the preseason finale he had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 26 minutes, shooting 5-from-9 from the field, in a 126-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, October 17 (AEDT), as the Kings finished the preseason 0-5. That came after he sat out the entire 2025-26 season with back problems.

The Kings have not put a date on Simmons' return, and the averages are not a prognosis for him, but they do show the size of the job: Tatum's 298 days, counted from October 18, would land on August 12, 2027, and the 311-day NBA study average on August 25, 2027, both after the 2026-27 season has finished.

Simmons signed a one-year, USD $3.5 million deal on September 4 (US time) that was not guaranteed, with USD $1 million protected only if he was on the roster on opening night. It's been reported because it is a significant injury, the salary continuation rule applies and Simmons will receive his full salary.

Under that rule, an injured player on a non-guaranteed contract must keep being paid until he is healthy again, even if he is waived. It does not cover training-camp deals (Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10), which are protected only up to USD $15,000, and Simmons did not sign one.

The Kings will carry a USD $2.45 million salary for Simmons on their books all season whether or not they waive him, and suggested they may keep him on the roster and use the contract in a trade.

That decision sits with the Kings, who open their season against his former club, the LA Clippers, at 1:30pm AEDT on Thursday, October 22, 2026 (full Kings schedule).

For the man himself, the road back starts on the operating table, and he has already said how he intends to walk it: "This time will be no different."

What you need to know: an Achilles tear and the surgery

What the Achilles is: The Achilles is the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone, and it is what gives you push-off strength, according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society's FootCareMD. Without it working, pushing off the leg or rising onto your toes becomes difficult, the Mayo Clinic Health System says.

What a rupture is, and how it happens: A rupture is a tear through the tendon, and Mayo says it most often happens about 6cm above the heel bone, an area with poor blood flow that may also slow healing. It usually follows a sudden spike in stress on the tendon, particularly in sports that involve jumping. Most people describe a feeling like being kicked in the calf, often with a pop or snap at the moment it goes. Mayo puts the peak age at 30 to 40, and men are much more likely to suffer it than women.

What the surgery involves: The aim is to reconnect the calf muscles with the heel bone, according to FootCareMD. The surgeon makes an incision at the back of the lower leg at the level of the tear, removes damaged tissue and stitches the tendon back together, either through one larger incision (open repair) or several small ones (percutaneous repair). The Cleveland Clinic says surgery is usually the best option for younger, active people.

The recovery: The Cleveland Clinic says most ruptures fully heal within four to six months with proper treatment, and physical therapy is needed to rebuild strength and mobility whether or not a patient has surgery. Healed is not the same as game-ready. A systematic review of 748 patients found 77 per cent returned to sport after surgery, at an average of 8.1 months, and 2.3 per cent re-ruptured.

What it means for NBA players: A study of 25 NBA players who had surgery for a complete rupture between 1996-97 and 2016-17 found 80 per cent returned, after an average of 311 days. Two years on, their value over replacement player, box plus-minus and offensive rating had dropped significantly compared with matched players, but their defensive rating had not. A separate Henry Ford Health study found 34 of 47 NBA players (72.3 per cent) returned after surgery, and the injured group's careers were shorter than those of matched players (3.1 seasons against 5.8).

The precedents: Kevin Durant ruptured his right Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals on June 10, 2019 (US time), and played his first regular-season game back on December 22, 2020 (US time), scoring 22 points for the Brooklyn Nets, 561 days later. Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles on May 12, 2025 (US time) and returned for the Boston Celtics on March 6, 2026 (US time), with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a 120-100 win against the Dallas Mavericks, 298 days after the injury.