Locker Room: Mills, Barty, Hewitt, Cahill, Ingles and Mailata all have what Ben Simmons doesn’t
Talent alone doesn’t make a sporting superstar. You need fight, resolve and spirit. One Aussie sportsman is famously lacking all three traits, another is proving he isn’t worth the hype either.
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When Ben Simmons was seven he scribbled a ‘to do’ list onto a piece of paper.
He wanted to play in the NBA.
He wanted a couple of golden retrievers, he wanted four Hummers, a house on the Gold Coast and a wife and kids.
Aside from an immediate trade out of Philadelphia, one wonders what the 25-year-old point guard’s goals are today.
Restoring any remaining morsel of respect from basketball fans around the world would be a start.
What is it about some of our most talented Australian athletes proving they are not worth the hype?
As Simmons is showing — be it either emotionally, mentally or physically — they are unable to reach the lofty achievements of Australia’s other slightly less gifted, but brutally determined athletes.
The answer is in the fight.
Exhibit A: video footage this week showed a disinterested Simmons dribbling a ball and wandering around like any seven-year-old with a dream never would, on the outer from the 76ers team huddle, before turning his back and leaving the court.
Fight is what Australians value. Refusing to lie down, showing resolve and spirit.
Patty Mills has it.
Mills is 185cm and 82kg. Simmons is 208cm and 109kg.
At a guess, there would be roughly 3 million more Mills-sized basketballers in America than those of Simmons’ proportions.
Yet here Mills is draining seven three-pointers from seven attempts on debut for his new team, the Brooklyn Nets, in their 127-104 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Coming off the bench, the 33-year-old was everything we fell in love with at the Tokyo Olympics — the same event Simmons chose to skip.
Mills ended the game with 21 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block in 29 minutes.
Over at the Utah Jazz, Joe Ingles, aka ‘Slo-Mo Joe’ has gone from struggling to affirm that his “too-eager-to pass” style could translate to the NBA, to shifting gears and proving to the league that he is a weapon to be feared.
Ingles, without the sublime skills and athletic prowess of Simmons, was last season named a finalist in the Sixth Man of the Year award which recognises the best player coming off the bench.
For his antics, Simmons has spent the past week being mentioned in the same sentence as Nick Kyrgios. That won’t phase Simmons, but it should, because they are heading down the same path — a career falling well short of its potential.
Kyrgios always had more talent than Lleyton Hewitt ever had.
“He’s so good, he can get bored on the court,’’ Hewitt said in 2017 about Kyrgios.
“The key is for him to concentrate and stay in the moment — knuckle down and work hard on every point and he has done that.
“He can then potentially see how good he can be because, until you give your best effort on every point, you won’t know.”
Australian tennis fans are now the bored ones.
Hewitt, who won two grand slam titles to Kyrgios’ none, spent 80 weeks at No.1 while Kyrgios’ highest ranking has been 13th in the world — five years ago.
Hewitt’s secret was giving his best, on every play.
Meanwhile, Simmons was sent home from training last Wednesday. Another day wasted.
Fight and spirit was in Tim Cahill’s DNA.
Born in western Sydney, the greatest Socceroos goal scorer of all-time was told that he was too small to ever be a professional footballer.
Ash Barty is another one who gets it.
Barty was only four when she found an old squash racquet and started bashing balls against the garage wall for hours.
Hitting ball after ball is one thing. But never being able to match the physical presence and power of one of the greatest tennis players of all-time, Serena Williams, is another.
How do you do it? Fight. Resolve. Spirit.
Barty got to world No.1 and lifted a grand slam trophy at Wimbledon this year, the second of her career so far.
Also residing in Philadelphia, Australia’s Jordan Mailata is pulling his pads on for the Eagles in the NFL.
Mailata has travelled from Bankstown to the toughest position in American football at left tackle. His is a fairytale story.
Given Simmons’ strategically co-ordinated carry-on, Mailata will soon be the only Aussie making headlines in Philadelphia.
Mark that down for another win for the fighter within.
In an interview back in 2018, before he had signed a contract worth $108 million, Mailata was asked what his dream was?
“To get to the top every day,” he said.
Fight. Spirit. The Aussie way.
Fans get angry as Simmons calls for help
Ben Simmons will seek mental health treatment as his NBA career spirals out of control with the former No.1 draft pick on indefinite leave amid the bitter fallout of his poisonous relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Simmons was meant to be the Sixers franchise star. The Aussie who would lead them to the promised land on the back of a $170m five-year deal.
But he wants out of Philly and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it.
After days of pathetic performances at practice — like training with his mobile phone in his pocket or refusing to participate when coach Doc Rivers asked him to join a defensive drill — Simmons finally confessed to teammates about where his head is at in a private five-minute speech.
It must’ve been some confessional because the negative vibe from the Sixers to their troubled star immediately turned.
Star Joel Embiid went from telling reporters he didn’t need a player on the team to babysit earlier in the week to fronting the Philly crowd ahead of Friday’s clash with Brooklyn to ask for patience for their man.
“A lot has happened the last few months and I hope you guys continue to support us and our teammate Ben, because he’s still our brother. Let’s go,” Embiid told the crowd.
But patience will only last so long, as the Sixers went on to suffer a disappointing 114-109 loss to the Nets as Embiid struggled with a knee injury in the second half and were outscored 16-1 in the final five minutes by the Nets.
Those are the games Ben’s paid to help win. No wonder the fans have turned on Ben.
They know they can’t compete for an NBA title without him, but they’re gutted at how he’s behaved and booed when vision of him was shown on the big screen while some sold “Missing” Simmons T-shirts and others wore derogatory merchandise bearing his name. But Embiid feels better now that Simmons explained to the team why he wasn’t mentally ready to play.
“It was good, finally. That was the first time any of us heard him. I thought it was good for the group,” Embiid told reporters. “That’s a first step. That’s a start. Hopefully like I always said, that’s on the front office.
“Hopefully they figure out what’s best. Obviously for the team, because this is a business.
“We’re just trying to find ways to win ... like I always say, we are better with him. I wouldn’t mind playing with him. I know my teammates also wouldn’t, because at the end of the day, we’re just trying to win.”
The Sixers have offered Simmons whatever resources are necessary to assist him with his mental health to get back on the court.
But cynics are quick to point out that by claiming mental health concerns, under the NBA collective bargaining agreement the club can no longer add to the $2 million worth of fines Simmons has racked up due to his petulance in missing training or not playing.
Rivers said it was a “productive day” in terms of Simmons finally addressing the group, but was still no clearer on whether the 25-year-old would ever pull on a Sixers jersey again.
“I’ve felt good, up-and-down, throughout, and I kept saying that to you guys,” Rivers said. “Things do change. That still doesn’t mean that, you know, it’s going to work out perfect. Or it could. I’ve always believed that. I’ve never wavered from that. I’ve said that a hundred times, and I still stick with it.”
Either way, Simmons has lost so much credibility, not just in Philly but across the entire US sporting landscape as his Sixers standoff dominates US media. He’s blown whatever reputation he had and it’s a long road back for redemption.
“There’s only two bonds in pro sports: the locker room and the fans,” NBA great Charles Barkley said on TNT’s NBA coverage.
“He’s burned both of those bridges.
“I actually blame Ben Simmons a little bit because being in Philly since 1984, I think they would’ve given him a second chance. If he had come to training camp and busted his heart, even last year when he was scared to shoot and wasn’t making free throws, they were giving him some love and trying to encourage him.
“When he showed up at training camp and didn’t play and didn’t talk to his teammates, it’s over now.”
Patty goes whack again as he sets alight season early
One Aussie has gone missing, while the other one can’t miss.
Boomers star Patty Mills continued his flawless long-range shooting to start the NBA season with Brooklyn on Saturday, going a perfect 3-3 from distance in their thrilling 114-109 victory over Philadelphia.
Mills, who finished with 11 points, two rebounds and two assists, has remarkably nailed all 10 of his shots from the arc over the Nets’ opening two games of the season, including a historic 7-7 in their season-opening loss to Milwaukee.
He is the first player in NBA history to connect on his first 10 shots from distance over the opening two games.
Mills’ second fireworks display came on the same night embattled 76ers star Ben Simmons’ bitter stand-off with the 76ers resulted in his second consecutive missed game.
After being suspended from their season-opener, Simmons addressed his teammates for the first time prior to tip-off against Brooklyn.
Mills, meanwhile, has entrenched himself as a key piece for the NBA championship favourites alongside another bench guard in Jevon Carter.
With Australian-born superstar Kyrie Irving still absent from the team because of his vaccination status, Mills and Carter helped fuel an enormous fourth-quarter comeback.
“The league is small now, so when you have two guards like Patty and JC that can get in the paint, shoot the three… it makes us versatile on the offensive side of the ball,” star Kevin Durant said.
“JC with his ball pressure was huge for us, and Patty with his ball pressure as well was huge for us. Those two, they play well with just about anybody on the team.
“Coach did a good job of sticking with that line-up.”
Simmons hit with damning claims as stand-off set to drag on
- Matt Logue
It was meant to be Patty Mills versus Ben Simmons, but instead it’s Simmons versus the rest of the world as the Aussie superstar finds himself on the outer with almost everyone.
Australia’s most popular NBA talent Mills was set to square off against Simmons – a man who has gone from a fan favourite to our most polarising player.
Sadly, the marquee matchup doesn’t look like happening, because Ben couldn’t be bothered turning up.
Instead, Mills will take centre stage in the first super Saturday of the NBA season.
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The veteran Boomers guard is coming off a brilliant debut for Brooklyn where he dropped a record-equalling seven of seven from range to finish with 21 points.
Mills is widely regarded as a national hero and a player Simmons could learn a lot from in the professional stakes.
Unfortunately, the Melbourne-born guard’s career is in limbo following the biggest blow-up between a No.1 draft pick and a franchise in NBA history.
The trade standoff has become so bad that the Aussie star was sent home from training and suspended for refusing to take part in a defensive drill, missing the 76ers’ opening game 20-point win over the Pelicans.
Simmons’ behaviour, including refusing to acknowledge 76ers’ staffers and only nodding at teammates, has attracted widespread criticism.
He reportedly turned up to individual training on Thursday, complained of back soreness, was cleared to train but then told staffers he wasn’t mentally ready and left.
Sixers officials are furious, accusing Simmons of faking his back injury and mental health concerns to push for a trade.
Philadelphia officials, though, are standing firm. 76ers president Daryl Morey is refusing to release the Aussie unless the franchise receives a star player in return.
“This could be four years . . . every day, we’re going to expect Ben to be back here, or we trade him for a difference maker,” Morey said.
“You’re gonna think I’m kidding - I’m not.”
Simmons is expected to report for the team shootout prior to the Nets clash, but it remains to be seen whether he shows his face.
Now reports have surfaced saying he will miss Saturday’s home opener against the Nets and is not expected to play for an undetermined period of time.
NBA champion and Boomers legend Andrew Bogut believes Simmons is receiving bad advice and is being pushed and pulled in too many directions.
He says this pressure is having a negative impact on him, both professionally and personally.
“From what I can understand the people around him advising him are just poisonous,” Bogut said.
“I’d be willing to gamble that they have a huge influence over his life, and they are just pulling and pushing the kid the wrong way.
“He has to work that out because it doesn’t look good.
“I’ve only had a small amount of dealings, but he is actually a good kid when you have him one-on-one.
“He is engaging, and you can have a conversation, but at the end of the day this falls on his lap because it is his career.”
I’m top of the list that hopes Ben Simmons turns the corner and succeeds wherever he ends up, but I can’t help but be impressed with this scout from 2016 (via @jamie_staib) pic.twitter.com/R3tXrC5Q3W
— Chris Anstey (@ChrisAnstey13) October 20, 2021
Simmons’ antics haven’t surprised Bogut.
He has seen the gifted guard look set to play for Australia at the 2019 World Cup and last year’s Tokyo Olympics before pulling out.
“He (Ben) has form doing this kind of stuff, as we’ve seen in the national team,” he said.
“This is something that has been a common thing for him and something that he needs to work to change. And the only person that can fix it is him, not his agent Rich Paul, not his (father) Dave Simmons, or his sister or stepbrother.
“It is him saying, I just need to knuckle down, block out the noise and just get on with it.
“Ben is in his mid-20s now. He has been in the league for a while and it’s time to put some big boy pants on and be like, ‘I just need to suck it up’.
“The there are reports that he isn’t mentally ready to play basketball again. That is a pretty alarming thing to read as well, so there are obvious issues there.
“We’ve all been there when we’ve had a bad day or two, but this has now happened more than once or twice with Ben.”
Bogut believes Simmons’ refusal to engage at training is a bad look.
He knows the situation is frustrating, but he urged his fellow Australian to look at the bigger picture for his own benefit.
“The way Ben has dealt with it, I mean practising with a cell phone in his pocket, is ridiculous,” he said.
“And standing on the sideline for most of the practice and not getting involved and when you are you are going half-arsed.
“I get his frustrations, but you have got to be professional within it.
“The vision that we saw at training was not good. Ben has a duty to at least give 100 per cent while he is at training.
“There are obvious issues there and it is just a messy situation.”
Boomers legend Shane Heal can see two sides to the Simmons’ story.
Heal finds it “amusing” that people have said that Ben didn’t want to be in Philadelphia.
“I mean, at the end of the day Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid threw him under the bus and the city of Philly burnt his singlets and said they didn’t want him,” Heal reasoned.
“So, I think it is a bit rich for people to say that Ben didn’t want to be there.
“Of course, he didn’t want to be there because he wasn’t wanted, so the whole situation becomes really awkward.
“There is no doubt that there would be some really tense moments behind closed doors because everyone knows the situation just isn’t working out.
“It is why they (Philly) will need to make a trade.”
Heal is expecting Simmons to cop a barrage of boos from the Sixers supporters, even if he doesn’t play against Brooklyn.
“Yeah, they (the fans) are going to be terrible, and Ben didn’t want to walk back into that situation,” he said.
“It is just an ugly part of pro sport once you get to this situation, and I just think Philly have to lower their expectations on what they think they are going to get for Simmons.
“They are still going to get a really good deal, but what they were asking for was outrageous.”
Heal, meanwhile, expects Mills to continue his form after starring on debut for Brooklyn.
“Patty could potentially play some of his best basketball because of the amount of talent around him at the Nets,” he said.
“When he is on the court, he is going to be like the fifth person on the scout and he is a world-class scorer.”
Bogut hails ‘genius’ move as Patty lights it up
NBA champion Andrew Bogut has hailed Brooklyn’s Patty Mills signing as “genius” after the Aussie star put on a record-equalling three-point show in his Nets debut.
Mills picked up where he left off at the Tokyo Olympics with a standout performance in his maiden Brooklyn appearance despite a season-opening 127-104 loss to reigning champions Milwaukee.
The Boomers veteran guard came off the bench after five minutes and exploded, dropping four consecutive threes.
His first three snapped a Nets’ 0-5 start from beyond the arc before he went on to finish with an impressive 21 points, including seven from seven from range while adding 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Mills’ seven threes is tied for most in NBA history for a debut with a new team.
The Aussie fan favourite also looked comfortable bringing the ball up the floor while he produced a beautiful no-look pass late in the first half.
The scintillating display prompted ESPN commentators to declare: ‘Patty Mills with a couple of threes to start early and looking like he is playing for Australia at the Olympics.’
Bogut believes Mills is destined for a defining season at Brooklyn after leading the Boomers to a historic Olympic bronze medal.
“I think we will potentially see a career year for Patty,” Bogut said.
“It is a genius signing by them (Brooklyn) to get that done. He is going to play a huge role and dedicate as to how far they go in my opinion.
“He is going to be that third or fourth cog scoring wise
“I think Patty was one of the best signings, outside of the Australian bias and us being a fan of him.
“I think it was one of the great retoolings to a championship team going into a season.”
Bogut expects Mills to play a bigger role with Nets superstar guard Kyrie Irving sidelined indefinitely after refusing to take the Covid vaccination.
“Patty is by no means Kyrie or at his level, but he provides a secondary ball handler who can get his own bucket,” he said.
“He is also happy to be a role player that doesn’t touch the ball as often.
“He will be able to sit in the corner and shoot when sides double team KD or Harden.”
Patty has attempted 7 threes.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 20, 2021
Patty has made 7 threes.
That's tied for the NBA record for most in a debut with a new team. pic.twitter.com/z3LjQm93EC
Despite a strong showing from Mills, Brooklyn couldn’t contain the championship-winning Bucks led by star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak flexed his muscles to finish with a game-high 32 points as he proved his worth as the defending NBA champion and Finals MVP.
Sadly, for Brooklyn, defence will again be a problem despite their potent scoring.
The Nets gave up too many easy points in the paint and must improve to have any chance of taking the next step this season
Mills on cusp of becoming Australia’s NBA GOAT
Patty Mills is so popular he could run for Australian Prime Minister and have a legitimate chance of winning.
Now Boomers legend Andrew Gaze believes Mills is arguably our greatest NBA player.
It’s a big statement for Gaze to make given the championship success of Aussie pioneer Luc Longley and Andrew Bogut’s rise from No. 1 draft pick to a title.
But according to Australia’s best domestic player, Mills is up there in the conversation as our nation’s greatest NBA talent.
And the numbers suggest that Gaze has a valid point.
Mills is Australia’s most capped NBA player with 739 games to his name spanning 12 seasons in the world’s best league.
He has won a championship with San Antonio in 2014 while he has provided consistent contributions off the bench.
Mills is behind Longley in the championships category given the Perth big man collected three titles alongside Michael Jordan at the Chicago Bulls, but the gap between the pair is tight according to Gaze.
It’s why many rate Longley as Australia’s finest.
But with Mills a strong chance to add a second championship at a star-studded Brooklyn Nets side this season, Gaze says the Boomers veteran is on track to finish his career as Australia’s greatest NBA player.
“I think you could put Patty in there (in the greatest debate) right now,” Gaze said.
“He has won an NBA title and his numbers, longevity and his contribution to his team.
“He has still got a bit in his career to go, but you saying it is Patty or Luc Longley as the greatest?
“If you look at the two it is hard to argue against Luc’s three championships, but if you look at the numbers and Patty’s role in teams, to me Patty is right there.”
Mills will tip-off the next phase of his illustrious career on Wednesday when his Brooklyn side takes on last year’s NBA champions Milwaukee in a blockbuster season-opener.
The Boomers fan favourite is expected to take on a bigger role at the Nets this season, especially with star guard Kyrie Irving out indefinitely due to his refusal to take the Covid vaccination.
Brooklyn could opt to start veteran Joe Harris in the back-court alongside James Harden, but Mills will still be relied upon heavily.
The Nets will look to the 33-year-old to produce a potent impact off the bench, like he did at San Antonio last season when he averaged 10.8 points, 2.4 assists and shooting 37.5 per cent from range.
You can also expect Mills to take confidence from his brilliant Tokyo Olympic campaign for the Boomers, where he averaged 23.3 points and 6.3 assists on his way to collecting a bronze medal.
Mills has only been at Brooklyn for just over a month, but he is already impressing according to his former Spurs teammate LaMarcus Aldridge.
“He’s huge – he’s a guy that comes in, he brings that positive energy,” Aldridge said.
“He’s a very upbeat guy, always happy. He just brings that juice.
“I’ve played with him, this is my third team with him, so I’ve definitely seen him grow. But he’s an offensive threat, a competitor, brings the energy and juice off the bench.
“Can get going in pick-and-roll, makes the right reads, I just think he’s going to be huge for us just adding more shooting to the line-up.”
Mills heads into the new season with some question marks following a quiet pre-season compared to his lofty standards.
He averaged just 5.3 points in 20.5 minutes and shooting 30 per cent from the field, but Nets coach Steve Nash isn’t worried.
Nash believes Mills will find his feet once he becomes accustomed to his new teammates.
“I’m not worried about Patty. He brings a lot to our team, leadership in general, character, IQ, pace of play, skill level,” Nash said.
“He’ll find himself and I think he’s going to be really good for us. That’s what preseason’s for, finding your rhythm. He had a break after the Olympics. He didn’t play the first four days of camp. He’s still trying to get back into game shape himself.”
Basketball’s biggest debate! Who is the NBA’s greatest player?
It’s basketball’s biggest debate — who is the Greatest of All Time?
For many hoops fans, especially those born in the 1980s or beforehand, Michael Jordan is the undisputed GOAT.
Jordan was widely regarded as the NBA’s greatest player in the league’s 50th season.
25 years on, a cast of superstars have emerged who are arguably capable of dethroning MJ, including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
Four-time NBA champion James – the first player in league history to win a title at three different franchises – is Jordan’s main rival in the GOAT debate.
The man commonly referred by millennials as ‘King James’ deserves to be in the greatest conversation given his illustrious resume and longevity, spanning 18 seasons.
For all James’ success, has the ‘kid from Akron’ done enough to topple Jordan as basketball’s greatest player?
While this answer won’t be officially answered, the NBA will unveil its 75th Anniversary Team (25 players) on October 22.
In the meantime, we’ve asked two Australian basketball legends to cast their votes on their top 10 players of all-time.
Boomers legend Shane Heal admires James’ durability, but he believes Jordan is basketball’s unquestionable King because he largely enjoyed success without forming sides with superstar teammates.
“The thing with LeBron is that he has built powerful super teams everywhere he has been, but Jordan didn’t do that,” said Heal, who had two NBA stints with Minnesota and San Antonio.
“They weren’t building superstar teams back in the day and Michael had to carry the team that he had with role players around him.
“Sure, he had Scottie Pippen, but you look at what LeBron has done, and he has had multiple Pippen’s over his career like Dwayne Wade, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
“I’ve got nothing but respect for LeBron, but I just don’t think he is Michael Jordan.
“Jordan’s results speak for themselves, not only his stats, but what he was able to do to carry a team.
“As soon as you took him out of the team, the team just wasn’t even close to being the same.”
Heal played in a different era when he graced the NBA court in the late 90s and early 2000s.
He experienced a more physical game before the league introduced stricter rules to combat hand checking and the amount of physicality on the ball carrier.
“That would have made it just impossible to guard Michael in today’s game,” he said.
“But I think more than that, if Jordan played in this era, his stats would go to a whole new level with how the game is being called and how much quicker it is with his athleticism.”
Fellow Boomers legend Andrew Gaze also rates Jordan as basketball’s best, but he believes the race for the minor places is close.
Gaze selected Los Angeles Lakers legend and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant ahead of James in second position.
“Maybe I selected Kobe because of my respect and joy for Jordan,” Gaze said.
“The sequel is rarely as good as the original, but this one was very close.
“The way Kobe played, his technique and the way he was able to lead his team both offensively and defensively, all those things were similar attributes to Jordan.
“Kobe also had five championships, so he is right there, even though you are splitting hairs.”
When it comes to the greatest, though, Gaze says Jordan is the standout candidate.
“Jordan transformed the game with his style of play and athleticism – it was extraordinary, and it captivated the world,” Gaze said.
“The way he played is a lot different to how the game is played today.
“But his offence didn’t compromise him on the defensive end. He was able to use that athleticism at both ends of the floor.
“Combined with that, Jordan won six rings, so he wasn’t just individually brilliant, he could also clearly lead and bring out the best in his teammates.”
Gaze expects Jordan to remain the NBA’s greatest player for years to come, although he understands why James is also a popular choice given his success and durability.
“Who knows, maybe at the end of LeBron’s career, I might have a different opinion, because his story is still being told,” he said.
“And he is right there.
“You know what, depending on how much longer LeBron goes for and what he does, I might think of him as better than Jordan, even if I think it is unlikely.”
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