Ben Simmons Won't Play For Australia In Rio
Google Advertisements

Ben Simmons has made it known that he will not be wearing green and gold in Rio this year.

 

The conversation around whether Ben Simmons will be able to juggle both NBA commitments and the NBA draft process has been a hot topic. Today Ben Simmons decision made it clear to Basketball Australia.

 

The report came from ESPN’s Chris Broussard, who quoted Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, who confirmed Simmons will focus on NBA activities, while looking to play for Australia in the future.

 

Ben Simmons will postpone playing with the Australian Olympic team this summer in order to concentrate fully on his NBA activities following the upcoming 2016 NBA draft,” Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, said in a statement.

 

“Australian Olympic Team training and competition takes place at the same time as the various NBA summer development programs, and therefore, Ben will look forward to his national team participation at some time later in his career.”

 

Even with Simmons’ being unlikely to be available for the Rio Olympics the 19-year-old was still included in an Australian men’s basketball squad in March

 

Playing in the Olympics likely wouldn’t have jeopardized Simmons’ stock, since the games take place after the June 23 draft. That being said, one can understand why his focus would be firmly on the NBA season ahead rather than international competition.

 

There was a $500,000 difference between last years number one pick (Karl Anthony-Towns) and it’s second pick (D’Angelo Russell) so it shows the incredible amounts of money up for grabs for the young tyro and even slipping just one spot in the NBA draft could be a huge financial loss.

 

His NBA salary aside, sneaker deals from Nike and Adidas currently await the former Box Hill Secondary School student’s signature. A sneaker deal from either company is expected to be around $US90-$US100 million dollars and will make Simmons the highest paid Australian athlete before he even plays an NBA game.

 

The higher Simmons is drafted will result in the more negotiating power he has with the sneaker giants of the world.

 

This year Simmons was the most talked-about player on the college basketball scene. While LSU struggled for wins against the top college teams and failed to reach the NCAA tournament.

 

The young aussie averaged more than 19 points a game for the LSU Tigers, as well as 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. His all-round brilliance is what’s made him so appealing to NBA franchises.

 

It’s no guarantee he’ll go first though, with Duke’s Brandon Ingram another realistic prospect who did his own chances no harm with an impressive post-season tournament. Despite Simmons athleticism and upside causing NBA scouts to salivate at the thought of acquiring the next Lebron James, Ingram is noted to have incredible length and is a much better shooting ability than Simmons.

 

Given the way the NBA game is evolving, length and shooting is what translates to success in the NBA so those things are sure to be on the mind of whatever team ends up picking at No. 1.

 

Although word from Simmons camp is he still wants to be a “Boomer” and could be playing for the national team as soon as 2018, Simmons has spent little time in the Australian system since making his Boomers debut in 2013.

 

He was cut from the side for the 2014 FIBA World Cup, and didn’t play in last year’s two-leg Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Melbourne and Wellington.

 

It’s understood there will be a replacement named for the Australian team in the next few days,

 

Current Boomers squad:

David Andersen (ASVEL, France), Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls), Aron Baynes (Detroit Pistons), Todd Blanchfield (Melbourne United), Andrew Bogut (Golden State Warriors), Angus Brandt (Sydney Kings), Ryan Broekhoff (Lokomotiv Kuban, Russia), Mitchell Creek (Adelaide 36ers), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers), Dante Exum (Utah Jazz), Adam Gibson (Adelaide 36ers), Cameron Gliddon (Cairns Taipans), Chris Goulding (Melbourne United), Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), Nathan Jawai (Perth Wildcats), Daniel Kickert(Melbourne United), Kevin Lisch (Illawarra Hawks), Aleks Maric (Buducnost Podgorica, Montenegro), Damian Martin (Perth Wildcats), Patrick Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Brock Motum (Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania), Brad Newley (Gran Canaria, Spain), Mitchell Norton (Townsville Crocodiles), Ben Simmons (LSU), Clint Steindl (Townsville Crocodiles), Lucas Walker (Adelaide 36ers).

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Boyce (836 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.


Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • 2024–25 NBL Salary Breakdown: Cap vs Cash for Every Team

    NBL25: Salary Spend Revealed for Every Team ESPN has compiled detailed salary and spending data for the 2024–25 NBL season, giving fans and analysts a unique look at how teams managed their budgets on the road to a championship. While some clubs leaned into the NBL’s flexible salary rules and pushed their spending past the cap in pursuit of success, others stayed conservative — with three franchises failing to even hit the league's salary floor. Understanding the System The NBL operates under a soft salary…

    READ MORE
  • Nick Horvath on the 2009 Dragons vs Tigers Championship and Becoming the Author of an Action Hero

    Nick Horvath joins the podcast to reflect on a one-of-a-kind basketball journey—becoming the only player to ever win a NBL, NZNBL and NCAA championship. Horvath opens up about writing his debut novel Sledge Vs, the highs and lows of his pro career, and what it was really like playing under legends like Mike Krzyzewski and Brian Goorjian. We go deep on the South Dragons’ fiery 2009 Grand Final clash with the Melbourne Tigers, including the now-infamous Game 3 brawl and Chris Anstey’s ejection. Horvath shares…

    READ MORE
  • NBL Teams Eye Chinese Star Lin Wei Amid NBA Draft Buzz

    Chinese basketball standout Lin Wei is emerging as one of the most intriguing international prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft—and he's already drawing serious interest from NBL heavyweights. The Sydney Kings and Melbourne United are currently leading the race to sign the dynamic guard should he not land on an NBA roster this offseason. Wei, a 191 cm, 85 kg combo guard, recently declared for the 2025 NBA Draft and is viewed as a borderline second-round candidate. While he’s intent on chasing his NBA…

    READ MORE
  • NBL Free Agent Tracker

    Below is an up-to-date roster for each NBL team and a list of rumours and potential signings derived from discussions with NBL staff and media. Players listed as contracted come from information supplied by the National Basketball League. * = Denotes import player ** = Naturalised Australian DP = a member of the team's development roster SRP = the previously named Asian player exception denoting an Asian player who qualifies as a local in the NBL. MP = Marquee players listed as known Click here…

    READ MORE
  • Adam Caporn’s Vision for the Boomers: Merging Goorjian and Lemanis’ Success

    With Adam Caporn taking over as head coach of the Australian Boomers, the national team enters a critical phase in its evolution. A student of both Brian Goorjian and Andrej Lemanis, Caporn intends to build on their foundations, blending their distinct philosophies to create a balanced, adaptable, and high-performing team. In a recent interview with Aussie Hoopla, Caporn outlined his vision for the Boomers, his approach to coaching, and how he plans to shape the roster heading into major tournaments like the 2027 FIBA World…

    READ MORE
  • Luke Kendall on developing basketball in India, 2006 FIBA World Champs & Sydney’s 2005 NBL Title

    Former NBL player and current Casey Cavaliers head coach Luke Kendall joins the podcast to share his journey—from his junior basketball days to professional success and now a rising coaching career. Kendall developed under legendary coach Mike Dunlap at Metro State, where he won a national championship before moving to the NBL. He played for the Sydney Kings, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats, and Gold Coast Blaze, winning a championship with the Kings before injuries forced an early retirement. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of…

    READ MORE
  • Larry Kestelman Says Geelong Deserves an NBL Team But Is Missing a Real Estate Component

    The possibility of an NBL expansion team in Geelong has gained momentum, with league owner Larry Kestelman confirming the city is a strong candidate—provided it can secure a suitable venue. However, much like we outlined in an article a number of years ago, How the Geelong Supercats could return to the NBL within 3 years, the missing piece isn’t just a stadium, but a real estate-backed development plan to make the project financially viable. Kestelman recently acknowledged Geelong’s growing basketball scene, citing record participation numbers…

    READ MORE
  • The Wollongong Hawks’ 2001 NBL Championship: The defining moment of an underdog’s rise

    There have been championship runs in the NBL defined by dominance and the sheer weight of talent that could overwhelm opponents before the ball was tipped. The dynasties of Perth, the star-studded reign of Melbourne, and the rise of Sydney’s financial muscle all tell tales of powerhouses that knew how to stay at the top. But there has only ever been one championship like Wollongong’s in 2001—a title won through sheer resilience, a team that had no business being there until they forced their way…

    READ MORE
sekolahtoto

depo 5k

sekolahtoto

Fitur dan layanan dari Situs toto togel yang terdaftar di bawah sekolahtoto menawarkan berbagai pilihan permainan yang menarik

TOGEL RESMI menawarkan layanan situs toto deposit 5000 terbaru dengan filing prediksi toto togel online terbaik kemenangan tinggi

sekolahtoto merupakan situs gaming provider lengkap terbaik yang dimainkan secara online.

sekolahtoto sebagai situs togel ruang bermain penuh keseruan bagi pemain yang sedan menikmati permainan togel online.

sekolahtoto merupakan situs pemersatu bangsa yang menyatukan pemain togel online.

sekolahtoto sebagai tempat hiburan toto slot online resmi.

menyediakan pasaran-pasaran toto togel yang dapat dijangkau secara international.

Para bettor online yang bergabung dengan Sekolahtoto mendapatkan keuntungan unik dari situs togel dan slot gacor deposit 5000 terbaik ini.

sekolahtoto merupakan tempat permainan togel online yang resmi di Indonesia.

sekolahtoto yang merupakan situs togel yang memiliki prasmanan togel online terpercaya berisikan pasaran-pasaran populer.

sekolahtoto sebagai link bandar togel yang paling rapi & menyuguhkan berbagai full bonus menggiurkan.

pilihan terbaik situs slot resmi yang menyediakan bet 100 perak di semua permainan slot online.

Pada tahun 2025, bo togel SEKOLAHTOTO menjadi pilihan tepat untuk kamu yang sedang mencari bo togel online terbesar dan terpercaya di Asia.

pilihan terbaik slot deposit 5000 yang menyediakan bet 100 perak di semua permainan slot online.

pilihan terbaik situs deposit 5000 yang menyediakan bet 100 perak di semua permainan slot online.

pilihan terbaik slot depo 5k yang menyediakan bet 100 perak di semua permainan slot online.