Australians have a long and storied history with NBA that continues to grow each and every year.
Aussies have progressed from battlers who scrapped and clawed to get into the NBA to having number one draft picks who took the league by storm.
We’ve delivered our definitive list of the best ever Australians to ply their trade in the NBA, with players of varying styles all making the cut.
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
Simmons is without question the most talented basketball player Australia has ever produced, and while his career is still in progress, he has the chance to be an all-time great.
Possessing a wonderful feel for the game, athleticism that rivals LeBron James and a desire to be the best, Simmons is on a path towards being a hall of fame player, and it has raised huge interest in NBA with sports tipsters and bookmakers alike.
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Born in Melbourne, unfortunately for Boomers fans Kyrie Irving never elected to play for Australia, but that doesn’t stop Aussies from claiming him as their own. A six-time All-Star with some of the best handles the game has ever seen, Irving has an uncanny knack to step up when it matters most, including the game winning shot in game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals.
Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks)
Australia’s first overall number one draft pick in the NBA, Bogut’s career was cruelled by injury but at his best he was one of the great defenders of the game. Winning third team All NBA honours in 2010, leading the league in blocks in 2011 as well as playing a vital role in the Golden State Warriors’ title win in 2015, Bogut is one of the best Australia has ever produced.
Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs)
Patty Mills has been a grinder for the majority of his career, having been drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in 2009 before going back to the NBL and over to China before re-joining the NBA as a Spur. Knuckling down and becoming a professional athlete at San Antonio, Mills became an adept bench player and a sparkplug off the bench during the team’s 2014 NBA title win.
Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz)
Joe Ingles might not be the prettiest player in the world to watch but there’s no doubting his ability to make an impact. A sharp-shooting star from the perimeter, Ingles possesses one of the best 3-point shooting statistics in the entire NBA.
