MIES (Switzerland) - It may only be a matter of time before Ben Simmons plays for Australia again.
The former NBA Rookie of the Year has made his intentions clear of representing the Boomers, as he's plotting a comeback after missing the entire 2025-26 NBA season to fully rest.
"Yeah, that's why I'm here [to play for the Boomers]," the 30-year-old point guard told Trent Kniese of 9News Melbourne in an exclusive interview on Tuesday, August 11. "It's a long way to fly just to not do it."
Simmons is in Melbourne to attend the players-only Courtside Melbourne camp, which reportedly features other high-profile Aussie hoopers such as Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, and Patty Mills, to name some.
He's also a full-time participant with "zero restrictions," according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN, which is an indication that the 2020 All-NBA Third Team member is fully healthy and ready to resume playing.
It remains unsure, though, as to when and where Simmons would start donning the green and gold again, but the men's program is preparing for Window 4 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
The August 27-31 games will be the commencement of the Second Round, and the teams in contention are shifting into higher gear as their hopes of staying on the Road to Qatar are on the line.
That includes Australia. The reigning three-time Asia Cup champions are out to up the ante, for they're coming into the window as the only unbeaten team of the Asian Qualifiers with a clean 6-0 record.
It would be such a huge boost if they add Simmons into the mix.
Aside from Cleveland Cavalier Tyrese Proctor, the Boomers haven't fielded other active NBA players in this World Cup Qualifiers. But signs are pointing towards seeing a lot of these big stars in this upcoming window across all regions.
Europe, for one, could potentially see a plethora of NBA talent competing in Window 4, with no less than Victor Wembanyama leading the fray as the San Antonio Spurs star is part of France's 15-man roster.
Australia could actually do the same, given that it already has guys like Giddey, who's under contract with the Chicago Bulls, at home. Ditto with Simmons, who's an unrestricted free agent as of now.
Perhaps the only intriguing thing with Simmons to keep an eye on is form. The last time he played was in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs' First Round series between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets back on April 29, 2025.
Regardless, the former LSU Tigers star remains very much in his prime, and his addition to the Boomers could provide another concern for the opposing defenses given his IQ as a pure and legitimate playmaker.
This won't be the first time Simmons has played for the flag. We have already seen him play at the FIBA Oceania Championship in 2013. Still 17 back then, it was the last time that he played for Australia, and hasn't returned to do so.
However, Simmons made his debut at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in 2012 which saw the Crocs go all the way to the Final before bowing to the USA.
Thirteen years since he last played for the Boomers, will a reunion finally take place?
FIBA