Retired Australian basketballer Andrew Bogut has weighed in on Ben Simmons’ reported decision to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics.
Despite committing to the team and being a part of the current 19-man squad, Simmons will opt out of the biggest international basketball tournament to focus on “skill development”, as per ESPN.
It would be the second time Simmons has pulled out at the last moment from representing Australia, after doing so before the FIBA World Cup in 2019.
Bogut said he hopes the 76ers star one day chooses to don the green and gold on the international stage.
“I think everyone is disappointed. He’s the best player in the world from Australia. Ben would be an integral part of our national team so it is disappointing,” Bogut told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“People sometimes don’t play for their national team for different reasons and it’s clear as day why he’s not going to play.
“There’s some mental demons that he needs to figure out in the off-season which you can’t fault too much, but 2019 was an opportunity, 2016 was an opportunity, so there’s only going to be so many Olympics left that he can get to.
“I just hope we can get him in the green and gold eventually.”
Bogut can’t see Simmons reversing his decision, despite the outcry from the Australian public and basketball greats like Andrew Gaze.
“I’d advise anyone to play for the Boomers if they had the opportunity, but I think that ship has sailed. I don’t think he’s going to play this Olympics,” he said.
“There’s already been a leak to some prominent journalists which, if I was a betting man, would say have come from his agency group or his circle.
“I can’t fault him too much, he’s got some demons that he needs to fix, but the question remains, when is he going to suit up?
“He’s the best player Australia has ever produced, he’s our superstar, it’s a shame we can’t get him to put his country’s colours on.”
The remaining 18-man Australian squad will meet up in Los Angeles for a training camp ahead of the Olympics this week.
SQUAD: Aron Baynes, Ryan Broekhoff, Xavier Cooks, Mitch Creek, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Chris Goulding, Josh Green, Isaac Humphries, Joe Ingles, Nicholas Kay, Jock Landale, Patty Mills, Duop Reath, Nathan Sobey, Matisse Thybulle.