Bogut ‘Disappointed’ with Ben Simmons’ Olympic Tease

Aussie Basketball legend Andrew Bogut has labeled Ben Simmons doubt to play for Australia as disappointing. 

Reports emerged that Simmons would likely decline an Olympics berth just hours after Philadelphia was bounced from the NBA Playoffs by the lower ranked Atlanta Hawks.

Simmons has been the ire of social media ridicule in the days’ since, with many fans lambasting his unwillingness to shoot the ball when the game was on the line. 

Tweet From Journalist Brian Windhorst:

"To be blunt, if you need to be recruited for your national team… you shouldn't play", Bogut told Fox Sports.

Ben Simmons Doubtful To Play At Tokyo Olympics:

He said, “It’s more the tease and the allure of ‘is he in, or is he not’... and that’s something that Basketball Australia can never get an answer on.”

Simmons has previously declined to play for the Boomers at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the 2019 World Cup where the Boomers finished fourth in both tournaments. 

The Melbourne born NBA star is seen as a crucial piece for the Boomer's attempt at their first Olympic medal.

“He’s the best player Australia has ever produced, he’s our superstar, it’s a shame we can’t get him to put his country’s colours on” Bogut told SEN.

Bogut said he was not surprised to hear this,  

“There’s already been a leak to some prominent journalists which, if I was a betting man, would have come from his agency group or his circle".

The 18-man Boomers training camp will begin in Los Angeles this week ahead of the Tokyo Olympics beginning July 25. 

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