Ben Simmons #25 of the LA Clippers walks backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Ben Simmons has officially confirmed his intention to return to international competition with the Australian national team at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, provided he’s healthy and available.
"That's what I've always wanted — to play in the Olympics," Simmons told RG. "If I'm healthy and I'm good to go, then I'll definitely be there."
Simmons, who last represented Australia in 2013 at the FIBA Oceania Championship, is currently playing a key role for the LA Clippers. Since joining the team midseason, he has brought valuable versatility to the lineup, contributing as a ball-handler, defender, and secondary playmaker. He is averaging 6.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in 24.3 minutes per game while shooting 54.5% from the field.
Alongside his Olympic commitment, Simmons strongly supported the national program’s new direction under head coach Adam Caporn. Basketball Australia announced Caporn’s appointment this week, naming the Washington Wizards assistant as the Boomers’ new leader following Brian Goorjian’s departure after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I’ve known [Adam Caporn] for a while, I'm happy for him," Simmons said.
"He's a great coach and a great person. I'm looking forward to talking to him and getting connected — continue to build our relationship going into the next Olympics."
Caporn, 42, will continue in his role with the Wizards while leading the Boomers, a dual responsibility fully supported by the organization. Dean Vickerman of Melbourne United has been named associate head coach and will assume national team duties if scheduling conflicts occur.
“It is an incredible honor to be part of the Boomers program. To step into the role of head coach is truly a dream come true,” Caporn said in a statement issued by Basketball Australia. “I am deeply grateful to Basketball Australia for their trust in me and to the entire Australian basketball community for the invaluable experiences and opportunities I’ve had from grassroots development to the Olympic stage.
“I want to extend a special thank you to Andrej Lemanis and Brian Goorjian for bringing me into the Boomers coaching staff — your mentorship and contributions to this program have been truly inspiring. I’m excited to get to work, building a team that will represent Australia with pride and continue to strengthen the Boomers’ great legacy and culture.”
The appointment marks the culmination of a six-month search to replace Goorjian, who stepped down following Australia’s quarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics. The Boomers fell 95-90 in overtime to Serbia, despite 26 points from captain Patty Mills and 25 points from Josh Giddey.
Caporn previously served as Goorjian’s deputy and was part of the coaching staff that helped Australia win its first-ever Olympic medal — a bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021. He becomes the 12th head coach in Boomers history.
A native of Western Australia, Caporn brings a wealth of experience to the role. In addition to his NBA duties, he has served as head coach of the G League’s Long Island Nets and as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets. He also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Mary’s College in California, where he also played collegiately.
From 2014 to 2021, Caporn was head coach of Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence, where he worked with many of the country's rising NBA stars, including Giddey and Dyson Daniels.
Caporn has already stated his intention to connect with Simmons and Kyrie Irving to discuss their participation in the next Olympic cycle. While Simmons has committed, Irving is pursuing a potential transition to the Boomers.
Born in Melbourne and holding dual citizenship, Irving has expressed a strong interest in competing for Australia at the 2028 Olympics. He indicated during NBA All-Star Weekend that preliminary steps are underway to determine his eligibility, which would require approvals from FIBA and USA Basketball, given his previous international appearances with Team USA.
Daniels, a key part of Australia’s emerging core, would welcome the addition of Irving to the national team.
“Oh yeah, I love it. I love it,” Daniels told RG. “I know he wants to do it. We want him to come play for us. There's a lot of stuff that has to get cleared for him to come play, but we welcome him with open arms. He's a brother. He's an Australian. You know our hearts, so we definitely want him to come play for us.”
Irving was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists for the Mavericks before suffering a torn ACL, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. While the recovery timeline remains uncertain, optimism within the Boomers camp remains about his potential involvement.
Regardless of how that unfolds, Daniels sees a promising future in the group taking shape.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys coming through, a lot of potential,” Daniels told RG. “The world stage is so difficult now to win. It’s going to be tough every game, but I think we’ve got a good core group of guys. Patty Mills and Joe Ingles helped build the culture of the group, and now it’s on the young guys to keep that going. I really like the group we’ve got coming through.”
With Caporn now at the helm and Simmons reaffirming his commitment, Australia’s road to the 2028 Olympics begins to take shape — one that could include a blend of experienced stars and rising talent and potentially even one of the NBA’s most skilled and creative guards in Irving.
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Grant Afseth
