He may have just made his NBA debut this season, but Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons is already looking forward to the summer of 2020. With the Olympics scheduled to be held in Tokyo three years from now, the 21-year-old is hopeful he can have the opportunity to represent his native Australia at the world stage, according to Keith Pompey of Philly.com.
Ben Simmons hopes to play for his native Australia in th next Olympics
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 3, 2017
After suffering a Jones Fracture on his foot during the final day of the Sixers' training camp last year, Simmons was forced to miss the entire season, as he underwent surgery and had to wait until he has fully recovered from it. Despite the long rehabilitation process, he has bounced back from it well, and has been very impressive for the Sixers so far.
Through nine games, the former LSU star is averaging splendid numbers of 18.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He has also provided the team with a lot of versatility, as he’s shown he can be effective at the point guard spot, despite standing 6-foot-10. That said, it has caused nightmare matchups for their opponents, and made it possible for the Sixers to start the year strong.
While Ben Simmons looks very healthy at this point, it’s still anyone’s guess if he can remain injury-free as the season progresses. However, if he won’t miss games for his team, they will surely benefit from it with his solid all-around game, which could be their ticket to a playoff appearance. His potential appearance for Australia in the Olympics will also make him an ever better player, by gaining a lot of experience competing against some of the best international players today.