'I didn't leave my family to lose' | 00:57
Another NBA season is almost upon us, with tip-off next Wednesday as the basketball world gets its first look at LeBron James and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers.
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Meanwhile, on Thursday there will be a host of Australians in action for the first time this season including potentially Ben Simmons as he looks to suit up for the Sacramento Kings.
Simmons isn’t the only Australian in new colours this year, with Matisse Thybulle a sneaky pick-up for the Lakers and a few Boomers teammates landing on Western Conference rivals.
Plus, some of our most successful countrymen Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels are back for the Bulls and Hawks as they navigate a suddenly ultra-competitive Eastern Conference.
Here, foxsports.com.au has you covered with everything you need to know about all the Australians in the NBA before the 2026-27 season begins.
Ben Simmons (Sacramento Kings)
When Ben Simmons signalled his attentions to return to the NBA, he made one thing clear: he didn’t care where he signed.
He just wanted one team to give him a chance. It didn’t matter who it was. The first one to show faith in the three-time All-Star would get his signature.
In many ways, the Sacramento Kings are the perfect place for Simmons to revitalise his career.
Now, it does feel like we have had this conversation with Simmons before. How the Nets or Clippers would be a welcome opportunity for the Australian to escape the spotlight of Philadelphia and rebuild his career away from the headlines and outside noise.
But that feels particularly true of Sacramento, a franchise which missed the playoffs for 16-straight seasons before one year of hope was followed by a return back to mediocrity and irrelevance.
Now the Kings are in the early stages of a long and painful rebuild. There isn’t the same level of pressure or urgency to perform.
Ben Simmons is in new colours this season. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Instead, Simmons on a veteran-minimum contract represents the exact kind of low-risk, high-reward swing a team like the Kings can make in the position that they are in.
The challenge is finding the right balance with a player like Simmons who is likely not part of Sacramento’s future and, as a result, should not be the focal point of everything they do.
He is a nice complement, but this season really should be about developing young players like their top draft pick Darius Acuff Jr.
Simmons could play a role in that, although The Athletic’s Jason Jones cautioned against that being the expectation.
“Given Simmons just sat out a season and has had his commitment questioned for years, that’s not a role that fits him in Sacramento,” Jones wrote.
“He doesn’t need that leadership responsibility. He has to rediscover his game and dispel the idea that he doesn’t have passion for basketball, while also finding his way after last season’s sabbatical.”
But based on what NBA insider Marc Spears said earlier this month, Simmons could have a more prominent role than first thought and is starting to look closer to his old Sixers days.
Now, whether this is just your typical training camp hype or will actually translate on the court in-season remains to be seen.
But the vibes surrounding Simmons are good and given Spears reported on Tuesday that the Australian is expected to start Sacramento’s season-opener against the Clippers, there at least seems to be some substance to all the positive buzz.
That could include taking on the primary defensive assignments when he is on the court, with ESPN expert Brian Windhorst going as far as to declare the Australian could theoretically guard San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama.
“His skill is versatile defence,” Windhorst said on the Aussie Hoops Hour.
“If he wants to stick in the NBA, needs to come in, be healthy and defend. If he does that on a minimum, as a 6’10” guy... he can still guard two, three, four and five.
“This is going to sound kind of crazy to say this but he’s the type of player who could defend Victor Wembanyama. Because he’s strong... Ben has enormously long arms, he in theory, could guard almost anybody on the court.”
NBA star Ben Simmons training in Melbourne. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied Source Known
Now, guarding Wembanyama is obviously a very tall order — both figuratively and literally. And to Jones’ point, the expectations should be much lower given how long Simmons has been out of the game.
Simmons sat out the entire 2025-26 season to rehabilitate lingering back and leg injuries, telling reporters last month at media day that any suggestion he doesn’t love the game is “bulls****”.
Kings general manager Scott Perry, meanwhile, told reporters that the team had been receiving updates on how Simmons was performing while working out with the Australian national team.
That included a phone call from a few Sacramento staff members who told him Simmons was “really serious” about coming back” and “looking great” while he was working out in the offseason in Miami.
Perry spends a lot of time back home in Florida during the offseason, so he was able to stop by and get a first-hand look at Simmons working out.
Ben Simmons at the Boomers' mini camp. Pictures: @courtsidemelbourneSource: Supplied
“I looked at him physically, he looked really good,” Perry said.
“But the big part of that time, and we spent an hour or so sitting down face-to-face and talking about his journey back to the game and what his why was.
“The guy had made a lot of money in this league. He’s been a successful player in this league at one time and these last couple of years injuries have really robbed him of his ability to play. He’s back healthy.
“He’s in a very good mental space and he just told me I just want to come back and compete. I miss playing basketball. That resonated with me and so we wanted to give him this opportunity.”
Kings coach Doug Christie, meanwhile, also gave a strong endorsement of Simmons when asked about what he had learned about the Australian since working with him.
“Nothing I read was true,” Christie said.
“I really enjoy being around the kid. He speaks. He enjoys basketball. He loves coaching, and he’s special.
“There’s leadership in what Ben is bringing. Talk about being courageous (with the) injury and coming back, and all those things.
“Everything I see about him speaks to a guy that’s in a really good place, loves basketball, loves his teammates.”
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)
The shooting piece remains the big swing skill for Dyson Daniels, but the Hawks coaching staff believes it has become so much of a focus that people are losing sight of what the young Australian guard does well.
In fact, if you want proof of it Daniels was a glaring omission from ESPN’s annual top-100 players list.
That is despite ‘The Great Barrier Thief’ still being one of the most disruptive defenders in the competition, while he also took on more ball-handling responsibilities after the Trae Young trade.
Along with Daniels’ work on the glass and ability to set screens, there is plenty more to his game than poor 3-point shooting as Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh pointed out at media day.
Dyson Daniels is back at Atlanta. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I know people look at the shooting of Dyson, but Dyson is one of the most impactful players in the NBA,” he said.
“I think people will look at the shooting and just stare at that, but at the same time he impacts the game in so many different ways.
“Obviously he’s an all-world defender, right? But when he was on the court for us, we were better offensively. He’s a connector of the game in the way that he makes his teammates better.
“He makes great decisions with the ball, he can handle, he can play off the ball, he crashes, he’s a great screener. He does so many things that help us win games.”
The shooting will have to improve and neither Saleh nor Daniels were shying away from that reality when asked about it this offseason.
Daniels went from shooting at a solid 34 per cent from downtown in his first season to Atlanta, which saw him crowned Most Improved Player, to just 18.8 per cent last season.
According to The Athletic, Daniels was the first player in NBA history to take at least 115 3s in a season and make fewer than 20 percent of them.
Saleh said the Hawks are expecting a “big year” out of Daniels, who told reporters he has put a lot of work into improving his shooting this summer along with attacking the paint more and continuing to grow more comfortable as a ball-handler.
Dyson Daniels goes to the rim against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)Source: AP
“Obviously, shooting was very bad last year for me, and it’s been a focal point this offseason,” Daniels said.
“For me, it’s been about sequencing in my shot, getting more rhythm through my shot and more energy through my legs so I can get my arc up. A big thing with me was that it was a very flat shot, so I’m trying to get more arc.
“I’ve also done a lot of work playing off two feet in the paint, using my size, being more physical and trying to get to the foul line a lot more.
“Different pivots, different footwork and being more patient in the paint have been another focus for me. I’m happy with where it’s at. It’s about going out there and putting it on the floor.”
While the 3-point shooting is just one piece of Daniels’ game, getting to a point where he is at least a functional threat will make the four-year, $100 million contract he signed late last year really worth it for Atlanta.
Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls)
It is easy to forget because he only just turned 24 years old, but this is Giddey’s sixth season in the NBA.
At this point he could almost be considered a veteran, but considering so much of his experience has come in rebuilding Thunder and Bulls teams it has been hard for Giddey to really develop his all-round game.
Even when Oklahoma City was on the way up, Giddey’s fit at the Thunder was clunky and his playing time was inconsistent as a result which again only further complicated his development.
Now, once again Giddey will be at the forefront at another rebuild as Chicago enters a new era of Bulls basketball after an active trade deadline and summer.
They have a new coach in Tiago Splitter and fresh faces on the roster too, headlined by rookie Caleb Wilson and veterans Norman Powell and Nic Claxton.
After years of settling for play-in tournaments and not much more, there isn’t the same level of pressure for success at the cost of player development.
These Bulls are going to let the young guys play. Mistakes can be made. There is a level of freedom and Giddey is a central piece of it as the lead guard and ball-handler.
Chicago Bulls ' Josh Giddey. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)Source: AP
But freedom does not equal recklessness, as Splitter told reporters.
“I don’t need him to be cute,” Splitter said of Giddey. “I need him to be effective.”
It is a brutal honesty that could be just what Giddey needs as he continues to refine his game.
While so much of the focus has always been on his shooting and defence, there are times that Giddey can try to thread too thin of a needle that it leads to turnovers.
It is a careful balancing act for the Australian given his vision at 6-foot-8 and fearlessness as a passer are what makes him so captivating a player to watch.
But Giddey admitted in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that Splitter had a point.
“I have a tendency to sometimes do things that probably are too cute,” Giddey told the Tribune.
“Whether I fit the ball through a tight window or get loose in my handle, it’s just things like that.
“It’s exactly what (Splitter) said: It doesn’t matter how it looks as long as it gets done. If you want to be the guy with the ball in his hands, you have to be able to take care of it. That’s the message and I completely agree.”
Giddey returns for another year at Chicago. Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Giddey was also honest in that interview about the challenges he faced in his second season with the Bulls, and specifically the confusion that came with the trade deadline and so many teammates departing.
“It just felt like I was getting into a hole that was getting deeper and deeper, both individually and as a team,” Giddey said.
But the Australian now enters his third year in Chicago with much-needed clarity on the direction of the franchise, and in better health too after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle.
As for what this new version of the Bulls could look like? Well, you can expect them to operate at a fast pace with Giddey hitting Wilson and Matas Buzelis with outlet passes on the break.
That is where simplifying his game and cutting out the “cute” stuff, as Splitter put it, can benefit the Bulls.
“As a big guard, I love to rebound, and my first look when I get a rebound is to kick the ball ahead. Those guys are elite at getting downhill in transition,” Giddey said.
“They’re both extreme athletes who can get above the rim. It’s a point guard’s dream to have them running the wings and to be able to kick it ahead to them.
“Building that connection in the offseason and playing pickup with both of them has been good. I’ve played with Matas for a couple of years, and Caleb is a similar player.”
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There will be growing pains for Giddey. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Chicago should also be lob city with Claxton in town.
There will be growing pains with a new-look roster, but it’s nothing new for Giddey who is prepared for the results to not always be there right away.
“I’ve gone through a rebuild, and it was a quick one,” he said.
“It wasn’t a 10-year rebuild; it happened over 24 months. I understand that you can’t skip steps. You have to go through the struggle to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.
“That’s not to say the tunnel is going to be dark forever. This team is talented and has a great mix of younger and older guys.
“I can help guys early in their careers understand that your trajectory in the NBA is never a straight line upwards. There are times during the year when it’s tough, and you feel like the roof is caving in.
“There are also times when you shine and feel like you’re the best thing on the planet. It’s about managing those emotions, and helping guys with that early on will be important.”
Jock Landale (Atlanta Hawks)
It was a whirlwind first season in Atlanta for Landale, who scored an equal career-high 26 points in his Hawks debut and went from the verge of giving up on his NBA dream to a $14 million payday.
Landale had plenty of lucrative offers from overseas when he decided to sign a veteran-minimum $2.3 million deal in Memphis.
Essentially, Landale was betting on himself and it paid off, even if it wasn’t in Memphis.
The Grizzlies ended up trading Landale but he quickly warmed himself to the Atlanta faithful after making a mad dash by car to be there in time for tip-off in his Hawks debut.
Landale established himself as a handy role player for Atlanta, averaging 9.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
The Hawks obviously recognised just how important of a rotational piece he was, moving quickly to extend Landale on the one-year, $14 million deal.
“It meant a lot,” Landale, who has now played for five NBA teams in as many years, said of that contract.
“There were a lot of conversations with Quinn (Snyder) and Onsi (Saleh) towards the end of the season about what the team needs and how I can continue to help out.
“That was more about when I was in the moment playing, ‘How could I help out?’ But I really felt as though, from day one when I got here back in February, I was involved, and I was valued.
“They really cherished the skillset I brought, the level of maturity and all that kind of stuff.”
Jock Landale returns with the Hawks. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
For Landale, a self-described “prototypical journeyman” who has bounced around the NBA and before that spent years playing overseas, the Hawks offered him not just stability but a consistent role as part of the frontcourt rotation.
“To come back to a team where I know there are going to be minutes where I’m contributing, whether we’re winning or losing, and being able to figure that out – I took it upon myself to get here as early as possible,” Landale said.
The Australian’s first season in Atlanta came to a frustrating end after he suffered an ankle injury which he admits “took a little while to get over”.
But once Landale was past that, he committed to getting into career-best shape and “trimmed up” this summer before returning to team facilities in early July.
The focus was on honing his jump shot and his left hand in particular.
“Every piece of my offensive game that I feel like I use within reason,” Landale added.
“I’m not out there doing junk work and trying to be something I’m not. The boring stuff, I just worked on that a bunch. I thought I did a good job of getting better in that space.”
It will be much of the same for Landale role wise in his second season with the Hawks, with the Australian backing up starting center Onyeka Okongwu.
Josh Green (Utah Jazz)
Versatility is the name of the game for Josh Green, who is looking to crack Utah’s rotation after being traded to the Jazz earlier in the offseason.
It has been a busy summer for Green, who was briefly traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July as part of the LaMelo Ball deal before being dealt a month later to the Jazz.
That second deal was a much smaller one, with Green going to Utah in exchange for Cody Williams and John Konchar.
Green was going to struggle for regular minutes at a highly-competitive Minnesota team and the same is largely true at Utah, with the Jazz expected to take a big leap this year after trading for Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Jazz added another versatile, defensive-minded wing this summer in Josh Okogie and so Green will likely slide behind him on the depth chart.
Josh Green in new colours. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It means the Sydney native may well find it hard to get many minutes for Utah, but he will be a valuable depth piece who can fill in as a 3-and-D wing whenever injuries hit.
It is the kind of team-first mentality that Green seems to have bought into, with the Boomers wing telling reporters at media day he is looking forward to helping mentor the Jazz’s younger players.
“I’m a quieter guy, but I do think I demonstrate a lot through what I do on the court and how I act on the court,” Green said.
“Hopefully, I’m someone who’s good to talk to and learn lessons from. Throughout my career, I’ve been through a lot of different situations, and they’ve definitely helped me grow, especially over the last few years. I hope I can be somebody to lean on.
“As far as me, I love winning. I love having a winning mentality. For me, it’s just: what can I do to help the team win and go forward? Make the little plays on the floor that matter.
“Overall, it goes back to working as hard as I can and trying to help those young guys out as much as I can.”
Matisse Thybulle (Los Angeles Lakers)
Thybulle isn’t usually one to talk. His agent is.
And Thybulle’s agent didn’t leave any doubt over what this move to the Lakers could represent for his client when speaking to Brad Turner of the LA Times this offseason.
“My guy is going to start and be a lockdown defender,” Thybulle’s agent declared.
You can lock in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler for three of the five starting spots at L.A. But beyond them?
Well, JJ Redick has been experimenting with various options for the two forward spots during training camp and one option would be Thybulle, whose stellar perimeter defence could help cover for Doncic and Reaves’ deficiencies on that end of the floor.
Thybulle joined the Lakers. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Thybulle’s disruptive defence has apparently been the talk of training camp, with the Australian consistently singled out along with Ziaire Williams and Adou Thiero.
“Matisse is in the passing lane trying to blow things up,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
“I think (Thybulle, Williams and Adou with his physicality — those guys are getting better from practicing that way. It goes both ways.”
Thybulle was signed to a one-year, $3.2-million contract which could end up being a steal for the Lakers if he can provide the perimeter defence they so desperately need.
Thybulle can at times be too limited on offence to justify having him on the court for big minutes regardless of his defensive impact and while his recent 3-point shooting percentage is very strong, it has only been from a sample of 45 games.
Which brings us to health, because that has been the other issue for Thybulle as of late. He played in just 30 games last season after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb and managed just 15 games during the 2024-25 season due to right knee and right ankle injuries.
Now Thybulle is healthy and relishing the chance to play with Doncic and Reaves, who will ease the pressure on him to be much of a creator on offence.
Instead, all he will have to do is knock down his shots at a decent enough clip and with the gravity that Doncic in particular creates, there should be plenty of open looks.
“The things I’ve got better at offensively and grown at in the league are the things I think complement Luka and AR well: being able to space the floor, be ready for corner threes and fast-break opportunities,” Thybulle told ESPN LA.
“I can be a floor-spacing piece and an option for them on the fast break.”
Thybulle also said he was looking forward to play with Kessler, who the Lakers traded for and then signed on a four-year, $130 million contract.
“For me personally, I’m really excited to play with Walker on the defensive end,” he said.
“Just to have someone who can command the paint and protect the rim, it allows me to be more aggressive.”
Thybulle is a menace on defence. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland Cavaliers)
It has been a busy offseason for Proctor.
First, he suited up in the green and gold as part of two FIBA World Cup qualifying wins for the Boomers. Then he spent three weeks in Hawaii training with Patty Mills.
“He taught me a lot, obviously, all the stuff on the court – footwork, technical stuff, balance, base – but a lot off the court (too),” Proctor said.
Proctor said this is the “best I’ve ever felt heading into a season”, so he has put the high expectations on himself entering his second year with the Cavaliers.
Cleveland may well need Proctor to take a step too after making an aggressive trade in the summer for Peyton Watson, with the Cavs also shipping off Dennis Schroder and Max Strus in a bid to stay under the second apron.
Keon Ellis also left in free agency, so there will be more minutes available for Proctor this season as part of the rotation.
Proctor was surprisingly involved early in his rookie year out of necessity more than anything else after injuries hit Cleveland’s frontcout before he later saw his playing time shrink.
The Australian re-emerged down the stretch with some big shot-making before, as expected, seeing his role diminish again in the playoffs.
Proctor is gearing up for his second year. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Even by the end of this season Proctor may not be trusted enough by the coaching staff to feature in the playoffs, should Cleveland make it that far.
But based on comments from superstar guard Donovan Mitchell it sounds like the Cavaliers believe Proctor could take enough of a leap where it is a possibility.
“There’s a tenacity and a hunger about him that I wouldn’t say wasn’t there last year, because he had a really good year last year when he was called upon. But I feel like he’s coming in like last year never happened,” Mitchell said.
“That’s huge for a guy that came in and really played well in his spot time.
“He’s gotten stronger. He’s picking myself and James (Harden) up full court. He’s kind of taking that Jaylon Tyson role last year, when I was telling you all about it.
“He’s kind of taking that identity upon himself, which is really great to see.”
Tyson, of course, was one of Cleveland’s real breakout stars last season and if Proctor is truly on that kind of a trajectory it is only wheels up for the former Duke standout.
Mitchell said Proctor had been diligent in working out with Harden and texting him for tips and film after practice and while there won’t be many chances for on-ball reps with those two dominant ball-handlers in the picture, developing his off-ball game should only get Proctor more minutes.
“Just take advantage of every opportunity I get whenever my number gets called on the court,” Proctor said.
“I learned a lot last year. Obviously, it was the first time in my career not playing a whole lot.
“With the preparation I’ve put in and the summer I’ve had, I’m ready to go out and attack every possession I get.”
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Proctor in action for the Cavaliers. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Johnny Furphy (Indiana Pacers)
Furphy looked like he was poised for a breakout season with the Pacers before a devastating, season-ending ACL injury derailed all his momentum.
In reality, the expectation won’t be that Furphy will hit the ground running right away and pick up where he left off after a solid first two seasons in the league.
That is especially true when you consider this is a Pacers team with championship ambitions after finding themselves one win away from the title before Tyrese Haliburton’s own injury.
It also means there won’t necessarily be much pressure or urgency for Furphy to contribute right away.
Instead, the emphasis will be on slowly ramping him up so Furphy can hopefully recapture the athleticism that made him a dynamic off-ball cutter and mover that thrives playing off of the likes of Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
The 3-point shooting remains a question mark and may ultimately determine Furphy’s ceiling in the NBA, but his defensive versatility gives him enough of a floor that he should remain part of Indiana’s plans this season and in years to come.
Indiana Pacers guard Johnny Furphy. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)Source: AP
Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Don’t expect to see too much of Zikarsky in the NBA this season, but don’t look at that as a bad thing either.
When the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Zikarsky in the late second round of last year’s draft, it always came with the expectation that he would need at least a few seasons to develop and grow into his body before seeing regular playing time in the NBA.
That still remains the case and the plan for the Timberwolves after Zikarsky spent almost all of last year in the G League, averaging 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game for the Iowa Wolves.
Zikarsky built on the fundamentals of his game, his rim protecting and rebounding, in the G League and even showed a willingness to attempt more 3-pointers down the stretch.
They weren’t falling at a consistent clip, with Zikarsky averaging 25.6 per cent from downtown, but the fact he was willing to attempt them spoke to a growing confidence given it wasn’t a real feature of his game previously.
Rocco Zikarsky in action. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ultimately, Zikarsky will only benefit from continuing to have the freedom to fail like he does in the G League and that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon given he will be behind four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and first-rounder Joan Beringer.
While Zikarsky looks set for another season spent honing his craft in the G League, he told reporters earlier this year that his confidence is “at a whole different level”.
“Just knowing the system, being around the team for a longer period of time, you build trust and compatibility with the coaches,” he added.
“Physically, my wind is a lot better than it was last year. I’m stronger and I can move better as well.”
Duop Reath (Phoenix Suns)
This is a full-circle moment for Reath, who was cut by the Phoenix Suns after the 2022 Summer League and now, four years later, returns as their back-up big man.
Reath got his opportunity this time around after Suns starting center Mark Williams suffered a shoulder injury which is set to sideline him for several months, opening up the chance for the Australian to play real minutes as part of the frontcourt rotation.
Reath is a true floor-spacing big, having shot 41.8 per cent from deep in his last season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
He offers a completely different look to Oso Ighodaro, who looks set to win the battle for the starting role and Khaman Maluach, who could be a stretch big for Phoenix in theory but is still very raw and developing his game after being drafted by the Suns last year.
Duop Reath in new colours. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
It gives Phoenix plenty of versatility in the frontcout until Williams is healthy, while Reath has another opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA after three years at Portland.
Reath underwent season-ending surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot in January before later being traded to the Hawks who then waived him.
That left Reath as a free agent, casting further uncertainty over his path back to the NBA given he was still rehabbing his foot injury.
“It’s definitely an opportunity, but at the end of the day I’ve just got to stay ready and find ways to contribute,” Reath said.
“Whatever’s needed from me, just go out there and do my job. I’m just going to compete.
“Just go out there and play hard. You’re going to see it every night. I’m going to compete, cheer my teammates on and be a good teammate.
“Just do whatever we can to help the team win.”