Ben Simmons is Making the Right Call by Skipping FIBA World Cup
By Brian Cass
As Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons officially put pen to paper on his new five-year $170 million extension on Tuesday, the point guard also had other news to give us following his signing.
It was being reported that Simmons was going to forego his opportunity to participate in the upcoming FIBA World Cup with his home country Australia, and Simmons confirmed those reports with this official statement from his Twitter page.
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— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) July 16, 2019
Although he's going to skip out on the World Cup, Simmons still plans on playing in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, as well as returning home to host camps and train with the Boomers (Australia's national basketball team).
It's not an easy decision to make, but it's a mature decision and displays leadership on Simmons' part. It seems that the main reason Simmons isn't playing in the World Cup is because he wants to focus on building chemistry with some of his new teammates -- and he's going to have a lot of them with the Sixers this season.
Philly fans will also be happy to see this news, as they've continually given Simmons slack for his lacking jump shot.
It’s official. Ben Simmons gets a new max 5-year, $170-million deal from the Sixers. Just one question: How much more does he get if he ever actually learns to shoot the ball?
— Angelo Cataldi (@AngeloCataldi) July 15, 2019
Hopefully, as Ben continues to work with the Sixers training staff, he'll quiet the haters who've constantly trolled him on his jumper. He'll have plenty of time now to focus on improving, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us next season.