Ben Simmons on the pain of missing Paris Games, promise to play LA and plans to buy NBL team

Ben Simmons has revealed for the first time his pain at missing out on the Paris Olympics, while opening up to MATT ENCARNACION about his long-term NBL plans.

Ben Simmons wants to play for the Boomers in Los Angeles. Picture: Getty

Ben Simmons has opened up for the first time about the pain of missing out on the Paris Games, as well as the possibility of investing in an NBL franchise.

Simmons was forced to withdraw from the Olympics earlier this year after undergoing major back surgery – his second in three years, which has limited him to just 57 NBA games in three years.

However the 28-year-old has seemingly put his injury woes behind him after helping his Brooklyn Nets to a 2-3 start to the new NBA season.

“Hell yeah, I feel great. It’s just a lot of emotions in the last, shit, month or so, two months, training camp, and then getting into the season. It was just a lot,” Simmons told this masthead.

“But I’m just happy to be back and help the team, continuing to build and then progress.

“Just trying to get into a rhythm. I know it’s not going to happen overnight, but day by day, making small steps in the right direction.”

Ben Simmons has opened up on the pain of missing the Olympics – and made a promise to play for the Boomers at the LA Olympics. Picture: Getty

His bout of positivity is a far cry from where the three-time NBA All Star was eight months ago, when he was close to ending an 11-year drought of playing for the Boomers.

Instead of pulling on the green and gold in Paris, he was left just, green.

“I was sick. I was frustrated at that, just because it was another opportunity that I missed. I always want to represent Australia,” he said.

“I was ready to go, I would’ve played 100 per cent. I can’t predict injuries, I can’t predict surgeries. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to.

“But ultimately it’s my dream. It’s something I speak about to my friends back home all the time. I want to put on that green and gold and represent.”

Simmons has made a successful comeback to the court this year with Brooklyn. Picture: Getty

Simmons will be 32 when the next Games in Los Angeles rolls around.

“Knock on wood, my goal is to play in the next Olympics. That’s ultimately the one thing I haven’t done in my career in terms of Australian basketball, that I want to do,” he said.

Simmons, who is looking at buying a new home in Australia, also revealed he has already had preliminary discussions around the possibility of owning an NBL team.

He would join a growing list of former and current NBA players to invest in the Australian league, including Andrew Bogut, Dante Exum, John Wall, Zach Randolph and Khris Middleton.

“Another thing would be to just be involved with the NBL somehow, owning a team in some aspect like that. I’d love to be involved with Australian basketball,” he said.

Ben Simmons putting up some, shots pic.twitter.com/UAQhBgCcyC

— matt (@mattencarnacion) October 31, 2024

“I’ve got to figure out if I can make that happen. Maybe putting this out there will help. That’s ultimately a dream of mine, to be able to give back to Australian basketball.

“I’ve lived in Melbourne, I’ve lived in Canberra, I’ve lived in Newcastle. Dad played pro everywhere, so that’ll be one of the goals also.”

For now, Simmons, who is in the final year of a five-year $252m contract, will be hoping to bounce back from a horror three years and earn himself a new deal.

His coach Jordi Fernandez said that while the team is in no rush for Simmons to reach peak form, he is adamant he can return to being a consistent triple-double threat.

“We want to see him being aggressive,” he said.

“He can touch the paint to finish, he can touch the paint to spray, and assist for his teammates. He should be a triple double candidate every single game.

“That’s how I see Ben Simmons, and I believe that’s who he’s going to be for us.”

Originally published as Ben Simmons on the pain of missing Paris Games, promise to play LA and plans to buy NBL team