LSU Professional Athletes

The NBA's opening week delivered the full emotional spectrum for LSU alumni — one Tiger announced himself as a legitimate building block, while another watched a carefully constructed comeback collapse in the cruelest possible way.

Naz Reid Is Already Earning His Hornets Contract

Charlotte didn't blink when it traded for Naz Reid, and through the first week of the season, that conviction looks justified. The LSU power forward posted back-to-back 20-point outings to open his Hornets tenure, anchoring a stretch of play that immediately quieted any skeptics about the move.

Reid's debut was flagged as historic by Sports Illustrated, which noted the Hornets' gamble paid immediate dividends. Head coach Charles Lee singled out Reid's performance after Charlotte's win over Brooklyn, citing both his production and his impact on team depth. Against the Nets on Oct. 21, Reid finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists in 32 minutes — a complete performance that went well beyond a scorer's stat line. He followed that up with 23 points and 9 boards in a 115-110 win over Miami on Oct. 24.

The Hawks blowout on Oct. 23 — Charlotte lost 128-81 — muddied the week, with Reid managing 17 points in a game that was never close. But the broader picture through three outings is unmistakable: Reid looks like exactly what Charlotte needed.

Ben Simmons' Comeback Is Over Before It Started

If Reid's week was a highlight reel, Ben Simmons' was a gut punch. On Oct. 18, during a Sacramento Kings practice, Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon. Surgery followed. His season — and perhaps more — is over before he played a single regular-season minute.

The cruelty of the timing is hard to overstate. Simmons had spent all of the 2025-26 season away from basketball entirely — no games, no workouts with a ball — letting multiple back surgeries heal while rebuilding his mental health. He took up sport fishing. He deliberately avoided watching the NBA until the playoffs. When he finally returned to Kings media day, he told reporters: "I didn't touch a ball for the whole year. I didn't watch basketball. I just focused on getting my body right and my mind right." Asked if his old self was still in there, he said simply: "He's there. He woke up."

He had flashed genuine promise in the preseason, logging 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in his final tune-up. Then came Sunday practice.

Defector captured the weight of the moment well: Sacramento, projected for one of the league's worst records, had at least one charming storyline — and the basketball gods took it away. Teammates were visibly shaken; Kings forward Keegan Murray's reaction to witnessing the injury was described as difficult to hear. The franchise is now exploring trade options to replace Simmons at point guard, with the Bucks and Grizzlies among reported targets.

Tari Eason Stays Busy in Houston

The week wasn't entirely quiet elsewhere for LSU alums. Tari Eason had a strong showing for the Rockets on Oct. 24 — 12 points, 6 rebounds, and a standout 4 steals in a 114-110 win over San Antonio — after a rocky opener that saw him ejected for shoving PJ Washington against the Mavericks. The ejection drew attention league-wide, but Eason appeared to respond the right way. His Rockets coach Ime Udoka and teammate Kevin Durant both addressed the flagrant foul publicly, suggesting the organization isn't sweating it as more than a moment of early-season emotion.

Simmons Is Back — and He Means Business

The most compelling LSU story in the NBA this week isn't a prospect or a role player making a quiet roster — it's Ben Simmons, doing something few expected him to do again: looking like an NBA starter.

The former No. 1 pick made his preseason debut for the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 10 against the Golden State Warriors, coming off the bench for a modest nine minutes — limited, per the Kings, by Domantas Sabonis' absence rather than any hesitation about Simmons himself. Head coach Doug Christie has since spoken confidently about how Simmons fits the Kings' system, and the follow-up performance removed any lingering doubt about whether this comeback had legs.

In Sacramento's preseason finale against the San Antonio Spurs, Simmons was the best player on the floor for his team: 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and a steal on 5-of-9 shooting in 26 minutes. The NBA world took notice. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose team faced Simmons in the opener, offered a heartfelt message of support during the comeback arc. Even harsh skeptics had to reckon with the tape.

The bigger news dropped shortly after: per Andscape's Marc Spears, Simmons is expected to start the regular season alongside rookie Darius Acuff Jr. when Sacramento opens Oct. 21 against the Clippers. That pairing is designed to mentor Acuff while letting Simmons run the offense — a role he is built for. Acuff's own reaction to Simmons' debut was telling; the rookie was visibly enthusiastic about what his new backcourt partner brings.

Simmons himself has been candid about the year he spent away from the league. He called it "the best thing I've done in my career," citing clarity, physical recovery, and a crucial conversation with Kings GM Scott Perry as the catalysts for his return. His $2.4 million deal was non-guaranteed entering camp — that guarantee has since locked in.

Not everyone is a believer. NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor has predicted the Kings will post their worst record in franchise history this season, citing the league's overall competitiveness. But preseason results — and the front office's decision to hand Simmons a starting role — suggest Sacramento isn't thinking in those terms.

Eason Turns a Dare Into a Statement

In Houston, Tari Eason is giving Rockets fans something new to get excited about: a perimeter game.

In the Rockets' preseason finale — a 116-89 blowout win — Eason posted 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including two three-pointers, in under 17 minutes. The context matters: Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein deliberately sagged off Eason, daring him to shoot. Eason obliged, immediately.

The secret behind the expanded skill set? A heavier practice ball. Eason has been working with an oversized basketball to sharpen his ball-handling and shooting mechanics — a detail that signals deliberate, disciplined offseason work rather than accidental improvement. For a player who already brings elite energy and defensive versatility, a reliable mid-range and three-point threat would make him a matchup nightmare at the power forward spot.

Reid Bringing It in Charlotte

Naz Reid, now with the Charlotte Hornets after being traded from Minnesota as part of the LaMelo Ball deal, is making an impression in his new city. Reports out of Charlotte describe Reid's work ethic as a genuine influence on younger teammates — fitting for a player stepping into a leadership role on a rebuilding squad. The Hornets open Oct. 21 against the Nets, with Reid expected to anchor their frontcourt.

Three LSU alumni, three different stories — and all of them worth watching as the regular season tips off.

After more than a year away from professional basketball, Ben Simmons is back — and Sacramento is betting he's got something left.

The LSU product signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the 2026-27 season, choosing Sacramento over several other suitors including the Golden State Warriors. The deal is modest by NBA standards, but the stakes feel anything but. Simmons, a three-time All-Star whose career derailed through a combination of injury, controversy, and diminished play, has spent the offseason insisting he feels healthy and ready. The Kings, it turns out, are starting to believe him.

Head coach Doug Christie has pointed to Simmons as a potential cornerstone of Sacramento's defensive identity — a role that suits the 6-foot-7 point guard's natural strengths as a switchable, playmaking defender. Christie publicly flagged defensive improvement as a priority heading into 2026-27, and a healthy Simmons, if he's genuinely back, would give the Kings a legitimate defensive engine they've lacked for years.

The Debut Watch

Getting Simmons on the floor has been its own subplot. He was ruled out of Sacramento's preseason opener against the Lakers, but per Andscape's Marc J. Spears, he's expected to suit up later in the week — with the Warriors game on Saturday emerging as the likely target for his NBA return. That's a fitting stage: Simmons chose Sacramento over Golden State, and now he'll face Stephen Curry's squad in his first action since his extended absence.

Not everyone is buying the hype. NBA fans and observers were quick to push back on insider praise that drew comparisons to Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers peak. The skepticism is understandable — he hasn't played meaningful basketball in over a year, and his late-career regression in Brooklyn was steep. But the Kings' internal optimism appears genuine, with the organization describing his preseason work as "impressive" and believing he can return to All-Star-caliber play.

Eason Erupts, Reid Earns Praise

Simmons isn't the only LSU alumnus making noise this week. Tari Eason turned heads in the NBA China Games, dropping 20 points and nine rebounds as the Houston Rockets routed the Dallas Mavericks 135-117. Eason's output was the standout individual line of the game, offering an early reminder that the Rockets' frontcourt depth is legitimate heading into the new season.

Meanwhile, in Charlotte, Naz Reid is already winning over his new coaching staff. Head coach Charles Lee was effusive in his praise of what Reid has shown since arriving with the Hornets — the byproduct of a trade that sent LaMelo Ball to Minnesota. Reid, a versatile power forward who flashed real scoring and shot-creating ability in Minnesota, appears to be settling into his new role quickly. The Hornets are in a transitional moment, but Reid's early impressions are a bright spot.

The LSU Lens

Three alumni, three distinct storylines — but Simmons is the one the league is watching. If he's genuinely healthy and motivated, the Kings may have quietly pulled off one of the better low-risk, high-upside signings of the offseason. If not, the skeptics will have their told-you-so moment soon enough. Either way, the basketball world won't have to wait long to find out.