Anonymous
Years ago

Ben Simmons and the Australian Boomers?

Does anyone else think that it would be highly unlikely that Simmons will represent the Boomers at the 2016 Olympics?

Considering the 2016 NBA Draft is in June and the Olympics are in August?

I would highly doubt the NBA team that selects Ben, would let me represent Australia, that time round.

Thoughts?

Topic #36973 | Report this topic


Anonymous  
Years ago

They wont let you, Ben.

Reply #526228 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

When does college start and finish?

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Naph  
Years ago

Last Olympics there were 7 NBA rookies who played.

Victor Claver (Spain)
Nando De Colo (France)
Joel Freeland (Great Britain)
Pablo Prigioni (Argentina)
Alexey Shved (Russia)
Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania)

and...

Anthony Davis (USA)

http://www.nba.com/hoop/lowpost/7_nba_rookies__watch_at_the__2012_07_25.html

If he wants to play, I don't see a reason why being a rookie should impact that. It may impact his time with the National team leading up to the draft, but it may not given that he's going to be a top 5 pick and he will only have to work out with a few teams in all likelihood.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Simmons ceiling is much higher than every one of those players accept AD, would be stupid from a career point of view to play, would be great from a patriotic point of view. He won't play, has too many people that are smart enough around him.

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Baller#3  
Years ago

If anything wouldn't the Olympics be a benefit, instead of a rookie playing a hand full of summer league games, Simmons can go up against the best in the world. Tiny risk of injury for what has done huge things for players all around the world.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Olympics needs priority over nba. End thread

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paul  
Years ago

Exum played WCs in the same situation.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Why would Olympics have priority over NBA? If you were a tradie and there was an international voluntary dry walling competition, would your employer be happy for you to just go do that? Sure there are benefits for players, just look at Patty and the boost he got from the first world champs he played at. I think it was world champs? Then there is the Paul George deal. Some players care about playing in them a great deal, others don't. Personal choice, there isn't a moral obligation to have to play.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Moral obligation or not, is Andrew Gaze remembered for his NBA career or for his representation of his country? Wouldn't you like to be rememebered as an Australian who played and defeated the best in the world, what about telling your children and their children knowing what you did?

Sure the NBA is the best competition in the world, but playing for your country, that chance doesn't always come along, especially with a team that could medal!

It also has a flow on effect, kids want to play for their country and will see the pathway, the Government may actually provide money for CoE and development, the sport will get some positive media here in this country and we all know anything positive about hoops is badly needed down under.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

^ Andrew Gaze was great and all, but Ben Simmons' potential far outweighs any level Gaze ever reached.

Simmons has a chance to be a top-5 player in the league. And although it is nice to play for your country (I, for one, think he will play in the Olympics), being a top player in the best league in the world far exceeds international play.

We remember Gaze for his international exploits because, quite frankly, he didn't have a fruitful NBA career. On the other hand, Stephen Curry is praised worldwide for his accomplishments in the NBA - with his international career clearly of little significance in the grand scheme of things.

At the end of the day, to make a career out of playing this sport, he needs to prioritise the league that pays him. If he can do both then that's wonderful, but if he has legitimate reasons not to compete in international play then we have no choice but to trust he's making the right decision.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Anon^ you have a point and you are correct in what you say, however since when does Australia compare with the USA in basketball? The Olympics has been our big chance to show what we can do on a world stage since black and white TV!

Yes, the NBA and the USA is huge in basketball terms, but you can never say playing for Australia is anything like playing for team USA, they could provide four teams in the Olympics and get 3 medals, we on the other hand don't have that luxury.

It means more to us, or at least it used to.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"Andrew Gaze was great and all, but Ben Simmons' potential far outweighs any level Gaze ever reached."

LOL Gaze is one of the best basketball players in international history a great of the game this Ben Simmons kid is just this year's Dante Exum.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

^ You're right, there's no comparison between Australia and USA when it comes to international play.

And I understand how nice it would be for a player (especially one of Simmons' ability and potential) to lead Australia to a gold medal at a legitimate event. It would surely be a great legacy to walk away with.

But think of Bogut. His international play has been limited, and although injuries have contributed to that, he's focused on his NBA career to the point where he's managed to evolve into being a key player for the best team in the league. As far as his legacy amongst the global basketball community, he's ahead of Gazey.

Simmons has the potential to go one step further, and be one of the best players in the league. And like I said, I don't think there'll be issues so I think he will play, but if you had to pick one over the other - it'd be silly not to choose the NBA.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Anybody who says Ben Simmons can't surpass Andrew Gaze as far as talent goes clearly knows nothing about basketball

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Bear  
Years ago

Maybe it is the nature of the sport. There are two truly recognised world games on this planet. We call one Soccer, they other is Basketball.

The English Premier league, Serie A in Italy, Bundersleiga in Germany, the Spanish league, South American and other leagues around the world are huge.

They have the best players in them, but it isn't quite like basketball. The NBA dwarfs any league in any country, followed secondly by the Euroleague which is a combination of several countries backed by huge populations and like Soccer in some ways a passion for the game.

There isn't a player out there who would not see playing in the Soccer World Cup as the pinnacle of their career. You make it in the WC and you are the best of the best.

Olympics is a little different, but countries do take it seriously and an Olumpic medal in soccer or basketball is high in the importance stakes for sure.

But it seems that basketball is more NBA centric that Soccer is towards any particular national competition, probably due to the level of talent, the money and the exposure.

If a player like Ben was a soccer star, we wouldn't be asking why wouldn't he play for his country, we would be saying he has to play and surely he will want to play.

My opinion is that he will want to play regardless...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Agreed, Bear.

I think everyone just has to relax. Let the kid decide for himself

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paul  
Years ago

Sorry anon, Gaze's legacy in the international basketball community is enormous, Bogut's standing at the moment is a first pick who hasn't performed anywhere near that level.

Gaze will be inducted into numerous HoFs and be remembered as a great of the game, something Bogut is well short of at the moment.

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GWB  
Years ago

I don't know how much it matters whether Simmons plays next year or not. He will still be basically a kid, and I doubt he would be one of the top contributors in the campaign. I think he might play, but he wont be "the man" until the world cup I am pretty sure. I don't see how playing the olympics will hurt his prospects. He is likely to be a high draft pick with his choice of teams willing to placate him if he so wishes.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

I think some people need to calm down a bit with their expectations of Simmons. I know he's rated by many as the number 1 High School player in the US, but he hasn't even played a college game yet.

What if he doesn't dominate in his first year at LSU like so many expect? What if other players surpass him and he drops down mock draft boards? There are no certainties, yet there are plenty here who appear certain about his future.

In all likelihood he'll be a very productive college player, but there are still plenty of areas he needs to work on, which I'm sure he is aware of. I can't imagine it is easy dealing with the lofty expectations others have of you as well as weighing up college, professional and international obligations.

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Benno  
Years ago

Olympics will do much more for his development than shitty summer league would

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Anonymous  
Years ago

If it wasn't for the Olympics Patty Mills would be in the NBL not NBA!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Being successful in the NBA and playing international basketball are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, it could and should be very beneficial for Simmons. I would be very surprised and disappointed if he didn't play.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

The difference is Anon, The Olympics put Patty on everyone's radar, Ben is already on everyone's radar so wouldn't need to do it for that same outcome

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chewie  
Years ago

Some mixed arguments so far. For most athletes, simply the chance to have the opportunity to have the Olympic experience first hand is enough to draw them in, regardless of the sport.

Assuming he has the dominating year in college everyone seems to expect, he would have the opportunity to make that decision himself. If he elects to play in the Olympics (and gets selected), I'd suggest it would have little to no impact on his draft order selection.

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billy hoyle  
Years ago

So should Simmons play in the Olympics - ABSOLUTELY NOT - Nor should Exum for that matter....REASON - Boomers have done nothing right in the process of getting these guys ready for the olympics.....I say Exum and Simmons take a summer to lock themselves in the gym work out like crazy and have a season in the NBA that secures a MAX deal in years to come.....A bronze medal doesn't pay the bills nor does a silver or gold medal.....and its not like there is a Boomers pension fund.....and there certainly are not any guarantees that those 2 guys will play significant roles - based on history.....And for Exum and Simmons those guys will have endorsers and brands to think of - How bad does it look when an NBA level player plays behind an NBL guy.....I am sure Adidas and Red Bull were pissed that Dante didn't play at the World Cup.....

Simply look at what happened to Dante Exum at the World Cup - played meaningless minutes and rotated in behind an NBL player...The number 5 NBA draft pick who has committed his whole career thus far to Australian basketball was pushed to the end of the bench on a team that was sub par at best and struggled to win games!!!!!!

Clearly not a great development option for the kid going into his 1st NBA season....

If i am Ben Simmons i am looking at the potential Boomers roster and what happened to Dante and also looking at the fact that he was not picked in a development role for the World Cup and saying "I think i would rather get ready for the NBA - my job" Mind you when the Boomers didn't pick Simmons on the roster and they elected to essentially take 4 guys that were all the same player, 6-10 below the basket athletes that statistically at the World Cup shot a combined total of 27 FTs for the tournament totaled more turnovers than Assists and made a total of 5 3 point shots.....I REMEMBER PEOPLE SAYING "Simmons can't shoot" well apparently neither could these 4 guys, they couldn't rebound and couldn't make plays for other guys......So again why did the Boomers not take Simmons? Too Athletic? Too versatile? Yeah i would hate to coach an enthusiastic athletic 6-10 guy who can handle the ball and would have simply been happy to be on the team......

The problem with Australian basketball is we eat our young......Most people will make comments like "He is too young he is not ready" at the end of the day Australia is not the USA and not even close to that level....We don't have the luxury of having 50 top level players that any combination of them could win a gold medal....Australia has 6 players at best that can help medal and then some very talented young guys coming through....Even though we keep rotating through the older veterans like something has changed in the last 8 years lol.....Nothing has change those same older guys couldn't help win medals before and they certainly can't now that they are older and half a step slower......

Australian basketball had a recent 2 year window to get these young guys in the mix and get them excited about Boomers basketball and move the older guys on....But unfortunately we didn't......The Boomers tried early by putting Exum and Simmons in the team to play in the NZ series and had everyone excited...."A change is coming" we all thought......but as per usual shot themselves in the foot a year later when Exum hardly hit the court in the World Cup and Simmons was not on the team....Perhaps the old-boys in the offices were not ready to pass the torch....


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Maxymoo  
Years ago

Billy let me retort.

Yes he should play.

Reply #526730 | Report this post


billy hoyle  
Years ago

Maxymoo - why?

Reply #526733 | Report this post




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