Simmons needs Boomers buy-in

Australian Boomers coach Brian Goorjian says he's not interested in "recruiting" the services of three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons, with the star needing to be fully invested to be welcomed back into the national team setup.

"This is very important. In my dealings with Ben, it's always been: I'm not recruiting you,” Goorjian told ESPN.

“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."

Simmons hasn’t played for Australia since the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship game against New Zealand.

Since then, the 27-year-old has decided not to compete at two Olympics (2016, 2021) and two World Cups (2019, 2023).

Goorjian believes Simmons would greatly benefit from being in the Boomers program, but the coach won’t compromise the national team system for one player.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Boomers coach Brian Goorjian won&#39;t compromise the national team program&#39;s values to bring Ben Simmons into the Australian side, saying any return to national duties must be mutually beneficial, writes <a href="https://twitter.com/OlgunUluc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlgunUluc</a>.<a href="https://t.co/jcmepDaB4e">https://t.co/jcmepDaB4e</a></p>&mdash; ESPN Australia &amp; NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1689813577903783936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"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," Goorjian said.

"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. You need this.

"And, in turn, if you're Ben Simmons, and if you play like Ben Simmons on this team, with that culture, you're gonna take us to somewhere the team's never been. That's my goal in all of this."

Simmons has dealt with several injuries in recent years, which led to him playing just 42 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season, where he averaged a career low 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.