Ben Simmons knows exactly why that clip traveled. Days into his first training camp with the Kings, and his first in nearly 18 months, the veteran guard was asked about the airballed three from practice that spread across social media this week. He pointed out the selection bias at work.

“I airballed one, and one of y'all posted it, and that was the one that goes viral,” Simmons told reporters Thursday. “But stuff happens, you know. It's basketball. I get my shots up, I get my footwork in. It's what it is.”

🚨 “I airball one, and one of yall posted it, and that’s the one that goes viral”

— Ben Simmons when asked about his 3 ball in practice. Chill on my boy😭😭

(via KingsBeat) pic.twitter.com/w6bDPm0L0P

— KingsShowYo (@KingsShowYoo) October 1, 2026

The footage showed Simmons catching a pass behind the arc and attempting a wide-open three that barely grazed the net. For a player whose jump shot has been scrutinized for the better part of a decade, it was always going to find an audience.

Ben Simmons airballed a WIDE OPEN 3 in practice 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/6BUmh2ZzGC

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) September 30, 2026

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The context around it matters more than the shot. Simmons did not play at all during the 2025-26 season while managing back injuries and nerve damage. Rust was always going to be part of the equation.

Sacramento signed him in September to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, a veteran minimum contract that carries almost no risk. The Knicks and Warriors also showed interest before he chose the Kings, his fourth NBA team.

The fit has little to do with shooting. Sacramento needed a veteran point guard behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 pick in this year's draft, and Simmons' passing is the selling point. He owns career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals across 383 games, with three All-Star appearances and a reputation as an elite defender in his prime.

It also continues a pattern for the franchise. Sacramento signed Russell Westbrook late in the offseason a year ago, and he outplayed his minimum deal before retiring this summer. General manager Scott Perry pursued Simmons after a workout in Florida, with Cameron Payne and Victor Oladipo among the other options considered.

Simmons has been upbeat since arriving, and his answer this week suggested he is not planning to let one practice rep define the comeback.