Ben Simmons declared last week he wanted to play for Australia again but the NBA star wasn’t included in an 18-man extended squad named on Monday.
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian included 10 NBA players in the star-studded line-up which will be reduced to 12 players for the World Cup in September.
But Simmons, who is currently rehabilitating a back injury, wasn’t named in the group Goorjian said was “extremely tough” to select.
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“Pulling together this extended squad has taken time – it’s been a thorough process. The coaches and I have had many discussions about getting the mix right, but I’m really pleased with where we’ve landed with the guys we’ve selected, there’s a good balance across the court,” Goorjian said.
“The fact it’s been so tough goes to show the depth of talent we have in…