Ben Simmons has not been on the best terms with the Australian federation for a long time, but it seems that we could see him at the Olympics.
The career of the former “Prince” is in serious decline. Simmons did not show what was expected of him in the NBA, and now the topic is the national team. The Brooklyn Nets player last played for the national team in 2013, and the problems started a year later.
Namely, he felt insulted because he was not invited to the FIBA World Cup in 2014 and since then he has not been part of the team. The latest informations say that we could see him at the Olympics, but coach Brian Goorjian points out that no one will beg for the former first pick in the Draft in interview for ESPN.
๐FIBA World Cup 1974 โ Throwback๐
— Basketball Sphere (EN) (@BSphere_) August 11, 2023
๐The world champion from 1974 was decided by a tiebreaker
๐The future first pick from the NBA draft played for the United States
๐Historic victory of the Soviet Union by 92 points.https://t.co/3iXhX7H0rP
“In my dealings with Ben, it’s always been: I’m not recruiting you. It’s important for the country to know, we’re not going, ‘please, Ben, please, we don’t have anything if you don’t play.’ We’re not like that at all. It’s like, you’re fantastic, and you’re a great player, and the country loves you, and the country wants you in green and gold, and our team does.
But, in turn, this is really good for you. Because you get to walk through these doors and drop everything behind and be you, and play with your mates in a great culture. I look at it that way, that this is gonna be a really good opportunity for him, and that I and the guys on the team, we care about him. We want him to have a great career.” – the 70-year old head coach said.ย