Sixers’ Ben Simmons Officially Withdraws From Olympics
Ben Simmons #BenSimmons
Sixers guard Ben Simmons made it official; he won’t represent Australia in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.
Last week, there was speculation that Philadelphia 76ers starting point guard Ben Simmons was considering withdrawing from the 2021 Olympics this summer. On Monday, Basketball Australia made an announcement stating Simmons made the decision official. He will not play for the Boomers this summer.
“I have spoken with Ben, and whilst we wanted him to be a part of our team, we understand and support his decision, and he has made it clear that this is something that he wants to be a part of in the future,” said Australia’s head coach Brian Goorjian, per the release.
Last season, Simmons made it clear he was excited to represent Australia in the Tokyo Olympics. The veteran All-Star was expected to join former Sixers head coach Brett Brown along with then-rookie guard Matisse Thybulle.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Olympics and pushed everything back a year. With the delay of the summer games, a lot has changed for the Boomers. Once Brett Brown found out he would no longer coach the Sixers after a seven-year stint, he eventually stepped down as Australia’s coach as his future was uncertain.
Now, Simmons is the latest the join Brown in stepping down as the three-time All-Star has been taking on a lot of heat from critics ever since the Sixers dropped Game 7 at home in the second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks last week.
“It is a pretty rough time for him right now,” Goorjian explained. “I know it is something that he wanted to do, but the timing just hasn’t worked. The best thing for everybody right now is for him to go on and develop that skill package and improve in a couple of areas for his next season in the NBA, but the Boomers are always here for him. We wanted him to know that in his time of need, the culture and the guys here are behind him and support him.”
Simmons has a long offseason coming up. After a disappointing playoff performance in the second round, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers made it clear that he wants to work directly with the All-Star this summer as they have a lot to accomplish and improve on. On the other hand, there’s also been a lot of talks regarding Simmons’ future as a member of the Sixers as of late.
While a report indicates that neither the Sixers nor Simmons is seeking a breakup right now, the rumors continue to fly. Simmons is going to have a lot on his plate over the next couple of months, and it wouldn’t have been easy for the 24-year-old to focus on playing in the Olympics and developing his game further for next season in the NBA.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.