Ben Simmons eyeing NBA comeback as he plays with Australian national team

It's August, which means it's time for the annual Ben Simmons headlines in the midst of the NBA's offseason doldrums. 

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft did not play last year as he looked to get fully healthy after battling a back injury and other ailments in recent years, but he is apparently eyeing a return to the NBA for the 2026-27 season. 

Simmons signaled his intent to get back to playing high-level basketball by traveling back to Melbourne for the Australian national team's player-led minicamp that begins on Monday, per ESPN. Simmons hopes to play for the Boomers at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but will need to prove his value -- and commitment -- to the national team in order to earn a roster spot in two years' time. 

Simmons hasn't played for Australia's national team since he was a teenager back in 2013, missing the last three Olympic cycles due to various reasons. Perhaps the perspective of seeing his NBA career fading away has given Simmons a deeper appreciation for the game, and the opportunity to play for his national team in the Olympics is among the things he's still yet to accomplish in his career. 

As for his NBA prospects, Simmons raised eyebrows earlier this summer by suggesting he'd be open to a reunion with the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons won Rookie of the Year honors in 2017-18 and made three All-Star teams in Philly before holding out with a back injury to start the 2021-22 season before being traded to Brooklyn for James Harden. Simmons' exit from Philadelphia was messy, as he felt scapegoated for the team's shortcomings in the playoffs and saw his relationship with co-star Joel Embiid fracture in the process. 

The 30-year-old last played competitively with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers in the 2024-25 season, appearing in 51 combined games and averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Per ESPN, a Western Conference team has offered him a non-guaranteed deal to join them for minicamp this fall, but a return to Philadelphia -- where LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are now part of the roster -- would add even more intrigue to the most fascinating team in the NBA.