28
Oct
2026
Cut to the Jase
Cadee 'gutted' for injured new-look Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons #25 of the Sacramento Kings moves with the ball during the first half of the preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez/Getty Images
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For basically his entire career, including his college days, Ben Simmons has felt closed off from basketball fans.
But it's something that seemed to drastically change as he prepared for his long-awaited return to the NBA with the Sacramento Kings for this season.
The Aussie three-time NBA All-Star had battled his way back from crippling injuries and a year away from the game to set himself up to be a key ingredient on a team once again.
Her had opened his doors to NBA write Marc Spears for his 'Being Ben' documentary on ESPN, has travelled home to Melbourne for a players-only Australian Boomers camp and seemed accessible to everyone who had watched his incredible journey so far.
And it's that improvement and personality shift which left NBL legend and former Australian Boomer himself, Jason Cadee, devastated when he found out about Simmons' season-ending achilles injury on the eve of the 2026-27 season.
"I was really gutted when I saw that," Cadee said on the latest episode of the Cut to the Jase podcast.
"Like I had that deep hurt for someone because I just, I saw it and just felt sad for the guy who's kind of for the first time in a while let people in I feel.
"Like he's rolled up to training camp and he's almost coming with this fresh face as in like I'm back to being comfortable with who I am and I'm going to speak about it and let people like learn a bit about me again.
"I feel like he closed doors for a long time and so to see him open the doors and then get hurt it just sucks for him."
It's not only Cadee that felt gutted for Simmons but the whole Kings playing group and staff did too after suffering the injury at practice, according to Sacramento beat writes, who said the sadness after the injury showed the impact the former Philadelphia 76er had made at training camp and preseason in potentially being a leader for a young group under Doug Christie.
But it's not the end of the journey for Simmons by any stretch with Sacramento media identities saying the Kings were keen on a reunion when he's healthy again.
Cadee said Simmons' injury was also said because it looked like we were finally getting the chance to see him in an Australian Boomers uniform again but hoped he could bounce back and feature at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Kings have looked dismal to start the NBA season, going 0-4 to start and being beaten convincingly in several of those games.
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