Sixers

The Annual “Ben Simmons is Finally Healthy and Ready For His Comeback” Reports are Dropping

By Matt Schultz

Published: Aug 10th, 2026 · 11:05 AM EDT

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The tweets from Marc Spears:

The three-time NBA All-Star paid his own way to the camp. A coach who worked out Simmons recently said he has regained his athleticism. The injury-plagued 30-year-old recently told @andscape this is the best he’s felt in years. He last played with the Nets & Clippers 24-25 season

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) August 10, 2026

Sources: Several NBA teams have expressed interest to Simmons’ camp, including one West squad that offered a training camp invite. He is also open to signing a vet minimum contract. Simmons has dreams of playing for Australia during 2028 LA Olympics. Attending mini-camp aids hope

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) August 10, 2026

How many times have we done this now? How many years in a row? Three? Five? Fifteen? It all runs together. Time is a flat circle with Ben return stories. But every August, year in and year out, the reports start cropping up, telling us how Ben is finally healthy and ready for his long-awaited return to basketball greatness, each article always hitting the same stuff beat by beat:

“Ben wasn’t healthy, that was the problem…” 

“His back was a mess. Doctors looked at it and said, ‘Why is there a series of crushed Celsius cans where your spine is supposed to be?’… Many of these surgeons cried when they saw the x-rays. One vomited. Another got very lightheaded and had to sit down and sip water slowly. They’d never seen so much damage in their lives, and they commended Ben for his bravery and courage…“

“Ben took some time off so he could heal. This was his choice. It wasn’t because he’s so bad at basketball that no NBA wanted to sign him, even for the vet minimum. Ben is the one in charge here. He has not been embarrassed. He is in a cool position. He is cool.”

“Ben has been working out with trainers who are impressed by him. The trainers say that Ben is jumping higher than anyone they’ve ever seen or have even imagined a person jumping. They say his athleticism is back and better than ever. They say he could play any professional sport he chose, and possibly be a Marine as well, if the schedule allowed it. The trainers mentioned that recently, in the middle of a training session, one coach couldn’t help but blow his whistle and stop the practice so he could ask Ben for his autograph. Ben of course acquiesced. Ben knows his raw talent and star power can be overwhelming for those around him. He was on Jimmy Fallon, lest we forget. This is not Ben’s first rodeo. The trainers did not reveal their names. That information does not matter. They do exist, though. What’s important is that these trainers are real.”

“And now, at long last, Ben is open to a return. He is confident the NBA will welcome their prodigal son back with open arms, so he can resume his All-NBA career. Ben is an inspiration. His journey has been unorthodox, but in a cool way that is not embarrassing. Ben is ready for the next step. Please someone give him a job.”

“Also, none of this has anything to do with the fact that he can’t or won’t shoot jump shots. That was never the problem. His mental weakness wasn’t the problem, either. His vague back injuries are why all this happened to him. It’s not Ben’s fault. He has not taken accountability for his failures because they’re not his fault. That is all.”

Then after these pieces come out, Ben is not signed by any team and he goes away for a year to become a fisherman or go to Met Gala events every day until it’s time to start the whole process over. I’m not complaining, by the way. I enjoy this stuff. It’s fun having Ben in the news. Such a weird, entertaining guy. 

Anyway, excited to see if this is the comeback that finally sticks. Good luck, Ben. Congrats on the annual comeback tour.

Kinkead: Ben Simmons being 100% healthy changes nothing about the fact that he can’t shoot, won’t shoot, and is a black hole in the half court because he doesn’t need to be guarded on the perimeter. Also, he quit on the Sixers and forced his way out.