Ben Simmons agrees to $240 million contract extension with 76ers

The NBA star has officially become the highest paid athlete in Australian history at the ripe old age of 22 after the 76ers splashed the cash.

Cash money. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Ben Simmons has reportedly agreed to a contract that will make him the highest paid Australian athlete in history.

As reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 22-year-old has signed a $170 million ($241.6 million AUD) contract extension that keeps him at the Philadelphia 76ers for the next five years.

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has agreed to a five-year, $170 million maximum contract extension, agent Rich Paul tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 15, 2019

ESPN reported earlier this month the Sixers had offered Simmons the lucrative deal, and now the All-Star has accepted, he eclipses Andrew Bogut as the highest earning Aussie in the NBA.

The 76ers’ faith in Simmons comes after the team suffered consecutive second-round playoff departures in the past two seasons.

It also comes amid criticism of Simmons’ inability to score from outside the paint — a sticking point that has some pundits questioning how much further he can go in the NBA if he doesn’t learn how to shoot from distance.

“Ben Simmons could be one of the greatest of all time if he got at least a 15-footer and a consistent one.” — @CuttinosLife pic.twitter.com/bnMN9dgV24

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 15, 2019

News of Simmons agreeing to an eye-watering contract landed after reports on the weekend said he was planning to turn his back on Australia’s FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign.

Simmons last month showed off on his social media accounts wearing a Boomers uniform for the first time, but he has now backflipped on his earlier commitment to represent his country, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The report claims Philadelphia and Simmons’ agent Rich Paul have agreed Simmons will withdraw from all international duties in order to focus only on preparations for the 76ers’ upcoming season.

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is "doubtful" to play for Australia in the FIBA World Cup this summer, his agent Rich Paul tells ESPN. Simmons is more likely now to spend his full offseason preparing only for the Sixers season -- free of national team responsibilities.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 13, 2019

With the Boomers also hosting some of the biggest basketball contests played on Australian soil in August when they host the USA Dream Team, Simmons’ backflip is a particularly bitter blow for Aussie fans.

It also leaves Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis looking for a new star to build his team around heading into the Basketball World Cup, beginning August 31.

Lemanis has previously said his team would welcome Simmons in with arms wide open despite the fact the 22-year-old star has not made himself available for any lead-up series or training camps.

The Boomers are now left hoping American-based stars Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Aron Baynes make themselves available for the tournament.