Darius Acuff Jr. Has Telling Reaction to Ben Simmons' Kings Debut

The Sacramento Kings finally got a glimpse of this new-look roster. In Saturday's preseason matchup with the Golden State Warriors, Ben Simmons made his debut with the team and his first NBA appearance since April 2025.

Kings fans have been waiting to see Simmons in action, but they were not alone. The Kings organization was also eager to get a feel for what Simmons brings to the team, and it immediately became obvious that he would have a positive impact on this group. After the game, star rookie Darius Acuff Jr. praised what Simmons brought to the Kings in his debut.

"It makes it way easier for me because I can pass and score. When he's in, I can just let him do him and I can do me," Acuff Jr. said. "Play off the ball a little bit, I don't mind doing that at all. It's great to have him. He's still as fast as when we were watching him when he first came out. He still looked like Ben. So, it’s great to have him out there and he’s a great vet, great leader."

Darius Acuff said playing with Ben Simmons “makes it way easier for me.”

“It’s great to have him, man. He’s still as fast as when we were watching him when he first came out. He still looked like Ben. So, it’s great to have him out there and he’s a great vet, great leader.” pic.twitter.com/fFt5hIjOqM
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) October 11, 2026

Acuff Jr. saw exactly what Kings fans have been hearing all offseason: Simmons is back to being the player we once knew. Simmons was a three-time All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers, but he lost a step over the last few years, largely due to injuries. After taking a year off, he is looking much more like himself.

Simmons makes an immediate impact for Kings

In his first action as a King, Simmons impressed. While he logged just nine minutes and did not appear in the second half, he finished with seven points on 2-4 shooting, and both of his made shots got the attention of the NBA world.

BEN SIMMONS HOOPIN’ FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL 2025 🙏

The former No. 1 pick and NBA All-Star makes his preseason debut with the Kings after missing the entire 2025–26 season with back issues 👏 pic.twitter.com/pgZfgWhkh2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 11, 2026

It would've been nice to see a bit more from Simmons, especially as a rebounder and playmaker, but he showed enough to give the Kings some hope. He looked aggressive, found his spots, and got comfortable with in-game action again.

Of course, he likely still needs more time to get fully adjusted, but if he looked like this in his first game back, there should be plenty of optimism oozing from the Kings' organization.

With Domantas Sabonis sidelined and Keegan Murray making his preseason debut, the Kings were able to experiment with an intriguing starting lineup. Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Murray, Simmons, and Precious Achiuwa were the first five for Sacramento on Saturday night, and they did enough to show what they might be capable of down the line.

The Kings should be excited about what they have brewing in Simmons, especially after signing him to a low-risk deal worth the veteran minimum. If he can continue to click with Acuff Jr., the Kings could have an exciting duo on their hands this season. The star rookie had his best game of the preseason, dropping 25 points and eight assists, and even after the five-point loss, the Kings should be optimistic.

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