Simmons will look to lead the Boomers to an even greater finish this time around.
This summer may mark the long-awaited return of Ben Simmons to the Australia men's national basketball team.
According to coach Brian Goorjian, "there is a really strong chance" that the NBA star will play at the FIBA World Cup.
"I think Ben's mindset is getting healthy, getting in shape, and getting ready to play," Goorjian told SEN Radio. "And I think he has been along that line for a while and I felt it last time."
"As we sit now, I think there is a really strong chance (that he plays at the FIBA World Cup),” he added.
Simmons never played for Australia at a FIBA World Cup or at the Olympics, but he was able to represent the Boomers during the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship.
"There were unfortunate circumstances (that forced him to miss the Tokyo Olympics), but I feel like he is going to make himself available," said Goorjian.
The former first overall pick has been struggling ever since his injuries. In 42 games this NBA season playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists—a far cry from the 16-8-8 stat line he used to average in his first three years in the league.
Should Simmons play for the Boomers in the FIBA World Cup, the competition could serve as a platform for the 6-foot-10 point forward to help get his career back on track.
Goorjian, who coached the Bay Area Dragons in the EASL and the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, could also help Simmons reach his full potential.
The Boomers will be playing in Group E in the FIBA World Cup in August, and they’ll face Germany, Finland, and host nation Japan. They are expected to be one of the favorites to come out of the group.
Should the Boomers survive that tough group, Filipinos will have a chance to see Simmons and the rest of the Australian team in Manila for the knockout stage.
(MDB)