Ben Simmons looks healthy, athletic and confident again, but NBA fans have watched this familiar offseason comeback story too many times before.
New footage from an Australian Boomers minicamp in Melbourne shows the 30-year-old moving freely, finishing at the rim and hitting a transition three-pointer as he attempts to revive his NBA career.
Simmons’ Workout Video Divides NBA Fans
The footage features Simmons training alongside Australian stars including Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Jock Landale, Matthew Dellavedova and Johnny Furphy.
Simmons appears in excellent physical condition and, importantly, is reportedly participating without restrictions after spending the entire 2025-26 NBA season away from the league.
However, the three-pointer attracted most of the attention.
As documented in ClutchPoints’ report on the reaction to Ben Simmons’ offseason workout, supporters were divided between excitement over his apparent recovery and scepticism about another impressive summer shooting clip.
One fan delivered a response that summarised the wider mood.
“We not falling for this 10 years in a row.”
Another wrote:
“It’s looked smooth his whole career. The problem is he doesn’t shoot though.”
The scepticism may appear harsh, but it has been earned.
Simmons has repeatedly released offseason footage showing him making jump shots, only to remain unwilling or unable to use that shot consistently during NBA games.
One Three-Pointer Changes Nothing
Simmons has made only five three-pointers from 36 attempts across his 383-game NBA regular-season career.
The issue has never simply been whether he can make an uncontested shot during training. It has been whether he trusts his technique enough to shoot when defenders, pressure and consequences are involved.
During his All-Star years with Philadelphia, Simmons was still highly effective without an outside shot because of his athleticism, passing, defence and ability to attack the basket.
Injuries have since reduced those advantages.
If Simmons is no longer able to overwhelm defenders physically, his refusal to shoot becomes considerably more difficult for a team to accommodate. Opponents can move away from him, crowd the paint and reduce the space available to his teammates.
A transition three-pointer in Melbourne will not persuade an NBA front office that those problems have disappeared.
It does, however, show that Simmons is back on the court and physically capable of participating in a competitive session with established NBA players.
That is meaningful progress—even if it is not proof of a successful comeback.
This Comeback Attempt Is More Credible
Unlike previous offseason workout stories, Simmons now has more than a viral clip behind him.
The former No.1 draft pick has reportedly received a non-guaranteed training camp offer from an unnamed Western Conference team. Several other NBA clubs are also believed to have expressed interest.
Simmons is reportedly prepared to accept a veteran-minimum contract after previously earning more than $200 million during his NBA career.
ESPN and Andscape senior writer Marc J. Spears confirmed the existence of the Western Conference opportunity.
“He does have an offer from a West team to come to a training camp,” Spears said.
Spears stressed that the offer was non-guaranteed, meaning Simmons would need to earn a roster position through training camp and the preseason.
That distinction is important.
Simmons has not completed his NBA comeback, signed a guaranteed contract or secured a place on an opening-night roster. He has merely received an opportunity to compete for one.
Boomers Commitment Offers Another Positive Sign
Simmons paid his own expenses to attend the player-led minicamp in Melbourne and has publicly confirmed his desire to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
When asked why he had joined the Boomers gathering, Simmons provided a simple answer.
“That’s why I’m here.”
His attendance matters because Simmons’ relationship with the Australian national program has previously been complicated by repeated withdrawals from major tournaments.
Training with the Boomers does not guarantee Olympic selection, but it gives Simmons an opportunity to rebuild trust while proving his health against high-quality opposition.
It also places him around coaches and officials with NBA connections, effectively turning the camp into an unofficial audition.
The Real Test Will Come Against NBA Defenders
Simmons last played during the 2024-25 season, splitting 51 regular-season appearances between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game—numbers far removed from the production that earned him three consecutive All-Star selections between 2019 and 2021.
His role declined further after joining the Clippers, where he averaged 2.9 points across 18 games before receiving limited playing time during the postseason.
Recurring back and nerve problems played a major part in that decline. Simmons has undergone multiple procedures and has not completed more than 58 games in a season since 2018-19.
That is why the most encouraging part of the Melbourne footage is not the three-pointer.
It is Simmons running, changing direction, absorbing contact and competing without visible physical limitations.
NBA teams already know he can pass, rebound and defend when healthy. What they need to determine is whether his body can withstand an 82-game season and whether he will embrace a dramatically reduced role.
Fans Are Right to Remain Sceptical
Simmons deserves credit for returning to the court and putting himself through a genuine NBA-level training environment.
Fans are also entitled to refuse to treat one made three-pointer as evidence that his career has been transformed.
The workout footage provides hope, not proof.
If Simmons earns a roster spot, remains healthy and attempts open shots during meaningful games, the conversation can change. Until then, another polished offseason video will remain exactly that.
This comeback should be judged by what Simmons does when the games begin—not by a jumper made in August.
