- He is recovering from a serious back injury.
- He wants to get a new contract in the NBA
- He has hinted at what he could invest in when he retires
Australian basketball star Ben Simmons has indicated how he plans to spend part of his NBA fortune when he retires, which is great news for domestic basketball in Australia.
The Brooklyn Nets star is on track to return from back surgery and hopes to have many years left in the NBA before hanging up his sneakers.
However, he gave a hint of what might lie beyond his playing days, including becoming an owner or part-owner of an Australian National Basketball League team.
‘Another thing would be just being involved with the NBL in some way, owning a team in some capacity like that. I would love to be involved in Australian basketball,” Simmons told News Corp.
“That’s ultimately one of my dreams – to be able to contribute to Australian basketball.”
Simmons wants to give back to Australian basketball by playing for the Boomers and potentially investing in an NBL team.
The NBL has become a breeding ground for NBA talent and has several high-profile owners.
Simmons’ investment in the league would continue the growth it has experienced since billionaire real estate developer Larry Kestelman bought a majority stake in the league in 2015.
Several Australian and NBA stars have stakes in NBL teams, including Dante Exum (South East Melbourne Phoenix), Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings), Luc Longley (Kings) and more.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is also part of the South East Melbourne Phoenix ownership group, which includes former NBA players Al Harrington, Josh Childress and Zach Randolph.
NBA All-Star Khris Middleton is part of the Brisbane Bullets ownership group, while former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony has been unveiled as a global ambassador for the Next Stars programme.
‘Knock on wood, my goal is to play in the next Olympic Games. Ultimately, that’s the one thing I haven’t done in my career in terms of Australian basketball that I want to do.”
‘I was sick. I was frustrated by that, simply because it was another opportunity I missed. “I always want to represent Australia,” he said.
“I was ready to play, I would have played at 100 percent. I can’t predict injuries, I can’t predict surgeries. Unfortunately I couldn’t.
‘But ultimately it’s my dream. It’s something I talk about with my friends at home all the time. I want to put on that green and gold and represent.’
Simmons was selected with the first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft and signed a five-year, $177 million max contract with the 76ers in 2019.
But the Australian star faced setbacks, including a significant back injury and mental health issues, which led to extended absences from the game.
In 2022, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, but continued to battle injuries, which limited his playing time.
Simmons’ back problems forced him to withdraw from the Boomers’ Australian team for the Paris Olympics, but he returned to the NBA in the final year of his max contract, albeit with limited minutes as he recovers from surgery.
