Word from the US is that Simmons is about to withdraw from the Tokyo Games after his disastrous end to the Philadelphia 76ers’ season. The suggestion is that he’ll dedicate himself to his franchise for next season. What a crock. The Olympics start next month. Goes for a mere fortnight. Makes zero difference to Simmons and next season with the 76ers, who don’t appear to want him anyway. He’s lost the locker room there. Now he’s about to lose the public in Australia.
Simmons’ best road to recovery is to take charge of the Boomers and gun for Olympic gold. If he slinks out of it, yet again he looks like he’s running scared.
Olympic representation requires a degree of selflessness. Most Olympians barely have a zack to their name. Those in the globally major sports, like tennis and basketball, have to squeeze Tokyo into their already hectic schedules. You’d think it would be an honour to do so. This is a huge Olympics for the Boomers. Get a medal for the first time, and it’ll be the biggest moment in this country’s basketball history. Simmons has the chance to be part of it. The Boomers need him. Want him. Mills will be desperate to have him on board. Simmons might emerge from the Games a reinvigorated man. The way it looks right now, he doesn’t care about Australian basketball. So why should it care about him?
Simmons is an aloof character. Shows no emotion. He can come across as too cool for school. Perhaps he’s just shy. No crime, but there’s no sense of connection between player and the public. His actions speak loudest. Quitting on the Boomers will send a deafening message. 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has blamed him for the 76ers’ defeat. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal says he would have kicked his backside in the locker room. A penny for Mills’ real thoughts if Simmons leaves the Boomers high and dry.
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The aloof Ben Simmons will further alienate himself from Australian sports fans if he withdraws from the Olympics. Patty Mills is adored for bending over backwards to represent the Boomers while being a star of the NBA but Simmons appears to give not a hoot about representing his country.