🔗 Share this article

This year's NBA campaign starts now, signaling the first time in a decade that Australia's pair of most prominent basketball stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

This change signals a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ guard pair Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as essential players for playoff aspirants, with recently signed huge contracts making them some of Australia’s highest athletic earners.

They aren't the only ones. Fourteen Australians are expected to play for playing time across the NBA, ranging from experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, emerging wings in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to intriguing rookies like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Aiming to Show His Worth

Following lengthy discussions with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey ultimately inked his rookie extension worth $100m ($153m) over four years recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and reputation as a lead playmaker. The reluctance for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the young star enters this year with a point to make.

Having been traded by Oklahoma City at the start of last season, he observed as his old team stormed to the NBA championship in his absence. As the Chicago look to make the playoffs in the weaker Eastern Conference, he will have to demonstrate his shooting and defensive skills are starter-worthy or else he may slide towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

Daniels signed the same deal as his counterpart recently, and after his MIP honor last year, the Hawks player's career has skyrocketed in Atlanta following his exit from the Pelicans. He is now praised as one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders, and topped the league in steals with 3.0 spg – over one whole steal per game greater than the total of second place.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the 22-year-old can be effective this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and defensive stopper as long as the team advance to the postseason. But if he can elevate his long-range game, which was subpar last season, and continue to enhance his distribution and attacking, Daniels could become one of the association's most well-rounded talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Indiana wing Furphy has emerged as a fan favourite in the state following a succession of highlight-reel dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led league figure Pat Beverley to label him as the “top Caucasian leaper we’ve seen in a while”, and an invite to the All-Star slam dunk competition could be a possibility.

After playing just 8 mpg per game over 50 appearances in his rookie campaign, the ex- college player is in contention for a Indiana rotation that might lean towards youth following injury to lead guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Guard the Sydney native fell in the June draft down to the second round, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland selected him. The Cavaliers are favourites to make the Finals from the East, so it would be rare for a first-year player taken in the late picks to see much court time. But the Australian has seen minutes in pre-season, and his pro-level shooting gives him a opportunity to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Experienced Group

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting centre spot in the Grizzlies given highly-touted Zach Edey will miss the opening of the season after ankle surgery.

In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the experienced reserve to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play consistent action if the team find themselves competitive. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is likely to be deployed as a defensive spark in a reserve role.

In the Hornets, Josh Green's off-season shoulder surgery has left him with no return date to return. The 24-year-old still has a deal for next season, but will not want to allow his colleagues at the rebuilding Hornets an excessive advantage. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has missed important pre-season chances in Dallas.

Australian NBA Players On the Fringe

Additionally, there are those who are not expected to see a lot of, if any, game action this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in the Timberwolves, but seems to be primarily a big brother ensuring Anthony Edwards focused.

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Fellow first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the experienced Luke Travers will be hoping to win minutes with his compatriot for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was planning to end his career, he answered them with a training clip shared on his accounts over the weekend, showing the veteran remains in form and determined on securing another league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an break in Australia, going fishing and playing with a football. Even though he posted on social media recently to deny rumors he was done, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has yet to return to the league.