The mood at suburban basketball courts across Australia is buoyant. With ongoing investment from Larry Kestelman and the recent arrival of Andrew Bogut, the domestic National Basketball League is resurgent. Two weeks ago the Liz Cambage-led Opals claimed the silver medal at the Fiba World Cup. And when the NBA begins across the Pacific on Wednesday (AEST), nine Australians will grace team rosters – several with legitimate hopes of challenging for a championship ring.
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
What more can be said about Simmons? The 22-year-old Melburnian has long been hyped and in 2016 became only the second Australian picked at No 1 in the NBA draft. While a pre-season injury saw him miss his entire first season, it only delayed what has seemed inevitable ever since the point-forward first dominated in high school. In his debut campaign last year, Simmons had one of the best rookie seasons in history. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds, numbers not seen since Magic Johnson. His shooting needs work, but Simmons – 2017-18’s Rookie of the Year – is on the fast track to becoming Australia’s best basketballer of all time. Expect more for the highlight reel this season.
Jonah Bolden (Philadelphia 76ers)
Joining Simmons in Philadelphia is Bolden. The Victorian forward was an early second round draft pick in 2017, but was immediately sent to Maccabi Tel Aviv. In Israel he helped Maccabi to a domestic league and cup double, doing enough to convince the 76ers that he deserved an NBA gig. The 22-year-old is unlikely to earn immediate minutes on an increasingly impressive Philadelphia roster, but his strong shooting, defensive abilities and work ethic could in time earn him a regular rotation slot.
Aron Baynes (Boston Celtics)
He may already be 31, but the star of unglamorous big man Baynes is finally on the rise. The Queensland centre spent several years at San Antonio and Detroit without setting the league on fire. But in his first season with Boston, Baynes was an integral team member as the Celtics came within one game of the championship playoffs. The forward’s numbers don’t lie: Baynes had the best individual defensive rating during last year’s regular season, and led the league in fewest points allowed per possessions defended. He was duly rewarded, signing a two-year, A$15.5m deal to remain in Boston.
Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs)
After a slew of departures and retirements, Mills is now the longest-serving member of San Antonio roster. That’s not a bad achievement for a point guard whose initial efforts for the Spurs were best remembered for his towel-waving enthusiasm from the bench. Mills was Mr Consistent for the Spurs last year, playing in every regular season encounter with an average of 10 points and 2.8 assists in 25.7 minutes. An ACL tear suffered by young guard Dejounte Murray could see even more court-time for Mills in 2018-19. He may never again ascend to the heights of his 2014 championship season, but the Canberran’s dynamism will once again be valuable for San Antonio.
Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz)
Simmons may have earned the plaudits, but Ingles made a credible claim to the best campaign by an Australian in the NBA last season. Since joining Utah in 2014 following a journeyman career in Europe, Ingles has been a consistent contributor on an inconsistent roster. But when the Jazz surged last year, so did the 31-year-old. Ingles had the fourth highest three-point percentage in the league and demonstrated his usual defensive energy as Utah made the conference semi-finals. While Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are the reason the Jazz suddenly find themselves being discussed as serious contenders, Ingles provides the team’s spine. Since his rookie season in 2014, Utah have played 328 games – Ingles missed just four.
Dante Exum (Utah Jazz)
A few eyebrows were raised when Utah offered Exum a new three-year, A$46m contract in July. The Australian prodigy has failed to justify his 2014 No 5 draft selection, and played just 14 regular season games during an injury-hit 2017-18. But at 23 Exum still has the time and potential to join childhood friend Simmons among the game’s elite. Although unlikely to initially start, Exum is well-placed to earn regular minutes as Utah hope to again exceed expectations in the West. He brings offensive speed to an otherwise plodding roster and is reliable in defence.
Matthew Dellavedova (Milwaukee Bucks)
After earning a championship ring and cult status during his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dellavedova’s performances since moving to Milwaukee in mid-2016 have been underwhelming. Injuries plagued his past season and a knee tendonitis issue lingers. With a new coach at the helm in Mike Budenholzer, “Delly” will be hoping to find a spot alongside Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon in the guard rotation. If Dellavedova can repeat the hustle he became famed for in Cleveland, the Victorian could make an important contribution as the Bucks look to ascend the ladder in the Eastern Conference.
Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks)
Much-hyped during his youth career thanks to a handful of YouTube highlight clips, Thon Maker has not yet hit the stratospheric heights hoped. Picked at No 10 by Milwaukee in the 2016 draft, Maker has been an inconsistent member of the Bucks’ rotation in his rookie and sophomore seasons. He averaged 16.7 minutes last campaign, pulling in three rebounds and 4.8 points per game in the regular season before showing glimpses of his potential in the playoffs. Maker needs to elevate his game in 2018-19, not least because his contract is expiring. Although a packed roster of forwards will mean fierce competition for minutes, time remains on his side; it is easy to forget that Maker, a subject of speculation since he first starred in high school, is just 21.
Ryan Broekhoff (Dallas Mavericks)
Years of persistence have finally paid dividends for Broekhoff. Now 28, the Victorian has endured a peripatetic career with stops at an American college, Turkey and Russia. He played Summer League in 2015 and subsequently worked out with seven NBA teams, before finally inking a deal this August with Dallas. Broekhoff is a silky smooth shooter with an enviable three-point percentage – he averaged over 50% from beyond the arc during Lokomotiv Kuban’s last EuroCup campaign. The Victorian will be hoping to work his way into the Mavericks’ rotation with pinpoint shooting and energetic defence.
The rest
Adelaide 36ers stalwart Mitch Creek, South Sudanese-Australian big man Deng Adel and Kentucky product Isaac Humphries all briefly ignited their NBA ambitions during the off-season, signing with Brooklyn, Toronto and Atlanta respectively. They were ultimately waived, but the Australian trio will feature for G-League affiliate teams and could earn call-ups as the season progresses.
