Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze has given his view on Ben Simmons’ potential Boomers return.
Simmons’ last involvement with the Australian national team was when he was cut from 2014 World Cup roster, deciding from that point on to prioritise his NBA career.
However, Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has confirmed that he has had serious discussions with the 26-year-old, with Simmons now looking a strong chance to suit up in the green and gold for this year’s FIBA World Cup.
Currently a member of the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since February, however Gaze sees international basketball as the perfect stage for a return.
“(International basketball) is not about the individual performance, as much as it in the NBA, you’re playing for your country,” he said onSEN’s The Run Home.
“Because of the rules, it is a tough situation to be in to shine, but because of that, you’re not expected to go out there and get 20 (points) and 15 (rebounds).
“The statistical measurements of how you’re contributing are not as relevant in international basketball as they are in the NBA, so he can go in there with a much broader, open mind about (what a successful performance looks like)”
“I think it would be fantastic for him.”
While Gaze knows Simmons can be a big contributor to the Boomers, he believes that the versatile playmaker could have his work cut out for him making the squad, given Australia’s current talent.
“You know what, he hasn’t played a lot of basketball in the last couple of years, and where it is right now, he’s got some work to do to actually make the team,” he said.
“It’s not like it was prior to Tokyo where, the evidence you saw in the NBA, (Simmons will) be a walk-up star, you’re going to be an automatic inclusion.
“Because of his health issues and because of his lack of basketball, and most importantly because of the players (on the squad).”
Gaze went on to outline how Brian Goorjian is likely to use a player of Simmons’ unique talents.
“If I was looking at him and seeing how he could best fit in with the other people that we’ve currently got right now, bring him in as a four-man (power forward),” he said.
“Bring him in to play the four or the five (centre), I think that would give us a look that is tasty.”
Simmons averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists across 42 games for Brooklyn this season, having dealt with back issues throughout 2022 and 2023.