After a one-year absence, Ben Simmons is back on the court after signing a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Simmons will have to shake off a lot of rust after taking an extended break from basketball to recover from chronic ailments. He said he is confident that he can regain his prime form, which saw him become a three-time All-Star.

While the road back to the NBA was steep, the 3o-year-old guard admitted in an interview with Prime's Chris Haynes that hearing the outside noise was the biggest obstacle.

“The most annoying part about it is when you got ESPN and certain outlets like that giving false narratives and information. That's probably the most frustrating part,” said Simmons.

“Not like specifically, I just think, overall, a lot of things that are said so quickly nowadays that can change the narrative or give people a perception of something that's not true, which sucks. But it comes with it. But the reality is I had to deal with I had to deal with a lot of s*** physically, and now, I'm back on the court.”

My conversation with Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons on false narratives that ran rapid during his year hiatus: “The reality is I had to deal with a lot of shit physically, and now I’m back on the court.” pic.twitter.com/iuZc2Mmbyl

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 2, 2026

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The one-time All-NBA and two-time All-Defense has been portrayed as soft, washed, and weak due to his inexplicable slump in recent years. Some claimed that he would never play basketball ever again.

He became a professional angler during his time off from basketball, saying it helped him deal with a lot of stress. Now, Simmons said he feels great and ready to roll.

He has not played in the NBA since April 2025, suiting up for the Los Angeles Clippers. In 17 games for the Clippers, he averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes.