Ben Simmons selected the top Australian playing abroad in last week's games

We bring you last week's top performances from Australians who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Ben Simmons

   #1. This week's number one is former international power forward Ben Simmons (208-96, college: LSU, currently plays in NBA). Simmons led Philadelphia 76ers to an easy victory against the Indiana Pacers (16-19) 130-114 in the NBA last Monday. He scored 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. The Philadelphia 76ers have a solid 24-12 record this season. It's Simmons' fifth year with the team. Simmons has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 16.1ppg, 7.9rpg, 7.6apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 58.5%(190-325), 3FGP: 28.6% and FT: 67.1%. Simmons played for the Australian senior national team seven years ago.

Aron Baynes

   #2. Second place goes to an experienced former international center Aron Baynes (208-86, college: WSU, currently plays in NBA). He could not help the Toronto Raptors (17-19) in their last game. Despite Baynes' good performance the Toronto Raptors (17-19) lost 125-132 on the road to the Boston Celtics. He scored 13 points, had 9 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 29 minutes. It's Baynes' first season with the team. This year Baynes' overall stats are: 6.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 54.6%, 3FGP: 24.3% and FT: 75.0% in 33 games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Australian and New Zealand. Baynes played for the Australian national team in 2019.

Joe Ingles

   #3. The Australian player who performed third best last week abroad was former international small forward Joe Ingles (203-87, currently plays in NBA). He was not able to help the Utah Jazz (27-9) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Ingles' very good performance the Utah Jazz (27-9) was defeated 131-123 in Philadelphia by the 76ers. He scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Ingles is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his seventh year in Utah Jazz's roster. This season Ingles has very high stats. He averages: 11.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.4apg, 2FGP: 65.3%(49-75), 3FGP: 46.5%(79-170) and FT: 89.5%. Ingles played for the Australian national team two years ago.

Patrick Mills

   #4. Point guard Patrick Mills (183-88, college: St.Mary's, CA, currently plays in NBA) led San Antonio Spurs to an easy victory against the New York Knicks (19-18) crushing them 119-93 in the NBA on Tuesday night. Mills recorded 14 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. The San Antonio Spurs have 18-14 record this season. Mills has been at the team for nine years. This year he has very high stats. Mills averages: 13.3ppg, 1.8rpg and 2.7apg. He used to play for the Australian national team back in 2019.

Brock Motum

   #5. Former international power forward Brock Motum (208-90, college: WSU, currently plays in Turkey) was not able to secure a victory for Galatasaray (21-3) in their last game. Despite Motum's very good performance Galatasaray lost 87-98 in a derby game to the lower-ranked (#7) Dacka. He was the second best scorer with 16 points. Motum also added 4 rebounds in 31 minutes. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Motum has relatively good stats this year: 14.3ppg, 3.7rpg and 1.8apg in 23 games. He used to play for the Australian national team five years ago.

Angus Brandt

   #6. Center Angus Brandt (208-89, college: Oregon St., currently plays in Japan) couldn't help Shiga L-Stars (16-26) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Brandt's very good performance the sixth-placed Shiga L-Stars (16-26) were defeated 86-76 in Akita by the lower-ranked Northern Happinets (#7) in the West group. He recorded a double-double by scoring 19 points and getting 14 rebounds. Brandt also added 5 assists. This season Brandt has relatively solid stats: 12.3ppg, 8.5rpg and 3.4apg. He is a former international player as he played for the Australian senior team three years ago.

Josh Wilcher

   #7. Former international point guard Josh Wilcher (178-91, college: Cent.Wyoming, currently plays in United Kingdom) led Bristol Acadamy Flyers to a victory over the league leader Manchester Giants (3-1) 93-89 in the British BBL on Sunday night. Wilcher was MVP of the game. He scored 23 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 7 assists in 33 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Bristol Academy Flyers (2-4) is placed third in the BBL. Wilcher has reliable stats this year: 11.9ppg, 2.0rpg and 3.8apg in eight games. He used to play for the Australian national team twelve years ago.

Lat Mayen Nai

   #8. Forward Lat Mayen Nai (206-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the Rutgers University (10-10) crushing them 72-51 in the NCAA in Monday night's game. Mayen Nai scored 25 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The University of Nebraska has rather weak 3-16 conference record this season. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Mayen Nai's total stats this season are: 8.8ppg and 4.6rpg. He used to play for the Australian U19 national team back in 2016.

Nick Kay

   #9. Former international power forward Nick Kay (206-92, college: MSU Denver, currently plays in Spain) couldn't help Real Betis in their game against Bilbao (6-18) in the Spanish Liga Endesa. He recorded 7 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 30 minutes. Real Betis was edged 86-84 on the opponent's court by the lower-ranked (#17) Bilbao. This year Kay's total stats are: 9.0ppg, 6.3rpg and 1.2apg in 23 games. He used to play for the Australian national team two years ago.

Jacob Rigoni

   #10. Forward Jacob Rigoni (198-98, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA couldn't help the Quinnipiac (7-10) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the Quinnipiac lost 67-76 at home to the Marist College. Rigoni scored 23 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 36 minutes. His team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. Rigoni plays fourth season for the team. Rigoni's stats this year are: 12.7ppg, 6.5rpg and 1.3apg in 20 games. He is a former U19 international player as five years ago he still played for the Australian national team.

   #11. Former U17 international forward Josh Bannan (203-1, is currently at the American university) contributed to an easy victory against the Warner Pacific University 80-62 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. Bannan scored 18 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 32 minutes. He has averaged so far 8.5ppg and 5.6rpg in 23 games. Bannan used to play for the Australian U17 national team three years ago.

   #12. Former international forward Rhys Vague (206-96, currently plays in Japan) contributed to a Kagawa FA's victory against the fifth-ranked Rizing 97-85 in the Japanese B2 League in Sunday night's game. He scored 12 points, had 8 rebounds and dished 3 assists. Vague has averaged so far 9.8ppg, 8.6rpg and 1.7apg. He used to play for the Australian national team back in 2013.

   #13. Former University international guard Kyle Zunic (188-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) helped Winthrop win their game against the Campbell University crushing them 80-53 in the NCAA on Sunday night. Zunic scored 13 points. He has averaged so far 4.6ppg, 2.7rpg and 1.5apg. Zunic used to play for the Australian university national team two years ago.

   #14. Former University international center Jock Perry (216-97, currently plays college basketball in the States) helped UC Riverside win their game against the California State University Northridge 72-68 in the NCAA in Friday night's game. He recorded 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 25 minutes. Perry averaged so far 11.1ppg, 5.0rpg and 1.2apg in 20 games. He used to play for the Australian university national team back in 2019.

   #15. Former U17 international center Mate Colina (213-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) helped Hawaii win their game against the University of California - Davis 73-68 in the NCAA in Friday night's game. Colina recorded 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 20 minutes. He has averaged so far 6.5ppg and 5.3rpg in 19 games. Colina used to play for the Australian U17 national team five years ago.


The list of other players, who all have Australian passport but never been selected to any of Australian national teams:

   #1. Kyrie Irving (190-G-92, college: Duke, currently plays in NBA) was the major contributor in a Brooklyn Nets' victory against the San Antonio Spurs (18-14) 124-113 in the NBA in Monday night's game. He scored 27 points (!!!), had 6 rebounds and dished 7 assists in 42 minutes. The Brooklyn Nets have a solid 24-13 record this season. Irving has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 27.2ppg, 4.8rpg, 6.0apg and 1.1spg in 26 games he played so far. Irving is a naturalized American. Strangely he has never played in Australia.

   #2. Dominic Gilbert (198-G/F-96, college: UBC, currently plays in Holland) led Den Bosch to a 1-point victory against the league leader Leiden (9-1) 88-87 in the Dutch DBL last Thursday. He recorded 15 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 32 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Heroes Den Bosch (4-0) is placed second in the DBL. So far his team won all four games in the Regular Season. They will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. This year Gilbert's total stats are: 7.5ppg, 4.3rpg and 2.3apg in eight games. He has a dual citizenship: Australian and Croatian.

   #3. Lachlan Anderson (206-F-97, college: EKU, currently plays in North Macedonia) could not help TFT Skopje (8-4) in their last game. Despite Anderson's very good performance TFT Skopje lost 76-90 on the road to the lower-ranked (#6) Kozuv. He was the second best scorer with 17 points in 27 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only Anderson's third season in pro basketball. Anderson has very impressive stats this year: 18.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.4apg and 1.3spg in 12 games.

   #4. Marshall Nelson (188-G-94, college: WBU, currently plays in Iceland) was not able to help Grindavik (5-4) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his very good performance Grindavik was defeated 96-89 at home by the one of league's weakest teams Hottur (#11). Nelson was the second best scorer with 24 points. He also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists. This season Nelson has very high stats. He averages: 18.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 5.3apg and 1.3spg. Nelson is another player who holds two passports: Belgian and Australian.

   #5. Experienced Lachlan Bofinger (198-F-1, currently plays college basketball in the States) led UTSA to an easy victory against the Southwestern Adventist University (6-18) crushing them 123-43 in the NCAA last Thursday. Bofinger recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting the same number of rebounds. He also added 3 assists, 2 blocks and 3 steals. The The University of Texas San Antonio has 9-7 conference record this season. Bofinger's team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial. Bofinger has averaged so far 3.4ppg and 3.4rpg.

   #6. Bul Kuol (201-G/F-96, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA was not able to secure a victory for the Detroit (11-7) in their last game on Tuesday. Despite Kuol's very good performance the Detroit was edged 70-69 on their home court in Detroit by the Northern Kentucky University. He recorded 20 points and added 3 assists. This season Kuol has very high stats. He averages: 15.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.0apg and 1.3spg. Kuol has both Australian and South Sudanese nationalities.

   #7. Ryan Beisty (200-F-95, college: Regis Univ., currently plays in United Kingdom) contributed to an easy victory against the league outsider Glasgow Rocks crushing them 92-67 in the British BBL last Sunday. He scored 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 23 minutes. Beisty has averaged so far 3.2ppg and 2.5rpg in 17 games. He also holds two passports: Australian and British.

   #8. Liam Evans (198-F, currently plays in NCAA2) led Concord University to a victory against the Davis & Elkins College 107-100 in the NCAA2 on Monday night. Evans recorded 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. He averaged so far 11.1ppg and 4.9rpg.

   #9. Gabe Hadley (193-G, is currently at the American university) contributed to UCSD's victory against the California State University, Fullerton 89-85 in the NCAA last Friday. He recorded 21 points. Hadley averaged so far 12.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.2apg and 1.1spg.

   #10. Hugh Baxter (203-F, currently plays college basketball in the States) is a teammate of previously mentioned Gabe Hadley and both played together in the last NCAA game. Baxter contributed to UCSD's victory against the California State University, Fullerton 89-85. He recorded 19 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 28 minutes. Baxter has averaged so far 10.0ppg, 2.9rpg and 1.5apg in 17 games.