Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle named to Australia’s preliminary Olympic team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle are among the headliners of the Australian Basketball Federation national team’s preliminary roster for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

However, we’ll see if both 76ers’ players represent Australia in the Summer Games.

“It would be an amazing honor to play for the country,” Simmons said in a statement. “I know things are uncertain right now, but I’ve been in touch with [Australia coach Brian Goorjian], and we’re hopeful I can join the Boomers.”

Thybulle, who was born in Arizona and has dual American-Australian citizenship, is still in communication with the ABF. The federation wants him, and included him on the roster. But nothing is official.

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Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks), and Will Magnay (New Orleans Pelicans) are the NBA players on the 24-man preliminary roster. In all, the roster includes 12 players with NBA experience.

The team will be trimmed to 12 this summer ahead of the July 23 start of the Olympics. That could be a scheduling issue if the Sixers go deep in the postseason. The NBA playoffs will begin in May and conclude in July.

Wednesday’s road contest against the Charlotte Hornets marked the 22nd game of Tyrese Maxey’s NBA career.

The rookie guard has been a solid addition, averaging 9.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists heading into the Hornets game. He finished with a career-high 39 points on Jan. 9 when the Sixers only had seven available players against the Denver Nuggets. The 20-year-old has solidified himself as one of the league’s elite rookies.

He was asked Wednesday what has been the biggest eye-opener about playing in the NBA.

“I think just how amazing it is to see how many different guys there are in the league that are capable,” he said. “Like the other night, Charlotte Hornets Malik Monk went for 36. I mean it’s just crazy to see different guys who are all really good in the NBA. It’s not any slacks out here. So it’s really fun to watch.”

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Monk hit nine three-pointers in that game to lead the Hornets to a 129-121 victory over the Miami Heat.

But the biggest eye-opener while playing with Joel Embiiid has been how the Eastern Conference player of the month gets to his spots.

“You know I ask him a lot how he draws fouls, because I want to add that to my game,,” Maxey said. “But just picking his brain, and picking different guys’ [Tobias Harris’] brain and Ben’s brain, those are the guys that have been in the league for a while. So they know how it works.”

Delaware Blue Coats point guard Frank Mason signed a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic.

Right before the start of the NBA season, the Sixers signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract and waived him hours later. The move was made so they could have his rights for their NBA G-League team, the Blue Coats. Mason, a fourth-year player, has averaged 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 99 NBA games with the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks.

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