Ben Simmons Opens Up on NBA Return, Floats 76ers and More as Possible Landing Spots

Professional fisherman Ben Simmons is going to attempt an NBA comeback this summer.

"I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my ass on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed," he told Clay Skipper of Men's Health. "I don't have a plan on where. ... Maybe I'll go back to Philly. Miami would be nice. And not because it's Miami—I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture."

Simmons, 29, said he was dealing with issues in his lower back and legs after pinching a nerve in his back in 2020. While there were major question marks about his confidence as a player late in his Philadelphia 76ers tenure—everybody remembers him passing up an easy dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals—Simmons said it was simply an injury issue.

"I was injured," he told Men's Health when asked about his confidence at the time. "So many people speak about confidence. If I was not confident, I would not get on the court again, I would not go to the Los Angeles Clippers, I wouldn't play in Brooklyn. It's health. It's just being healthy."

He indicated he was in so much pain that basically every basketball activity became difficult.

"Go and get a rebound. Dunk the ball. Guard. Play defense. Be physical," he said. "Everything you need to be a basketball player. It felt like I was just kinda out there as a body."

After that series, Simmons infamously demanded a trade and stayed away from the team before ultimately being dealt to the Nets in Feb. 2022 in a deal that sent James Harden to the Sixers. He ultimately didn't play at all in the 2021-22 season and only appeared in 90 games for Brooklyn over the following three seasons.

He had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2024-25 season, appearing in 18 games, before sitting out last year. In December, he bought a majority ownership stake in the South Florida Sails Angling Club, which competes in the Sport Fishing Championship.

Simmons, at his peak, was a three-time All-Star who was an elite defender and playmaker. His size and athleticism made him a monster in transition, though his lack of a jump shot and his offensive passiveness in general was a limitation in the halfcourt.

But a healthy and motivated Simmons—and one willing to play on the veteran minimum—surely would intrigue teams. His defense and passing alone would make him a nice asset to bring off the bench.

"When I'm out there, I make everybody better," Simmons told Skipper. "I play defense. I get offensive rebounds."

And he said he still loves the game.

"I think this is just what I'm choosing to do, like, no one's forcing me. It's never been about, do I love playing basketball? That's never a question," he said. "That's in my DNA. I think sometimes you get over all the bulls--t that comes with it, though."