A former No. 1 pick of the 2016 Draft has not given up on his NBA dream. Ben Simmons is preparing to take part in a player-led Australian national team minicamp in Melbourne, and the latest reports surrounding his condition have given his potential return to the league another boost.

The three-time NBA All-Star is also reportedly drawing interest from several NBA teams, and he is open to returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that selected him in 2016. Sr. NBA writer at Andscape, Marc J. Spears, reported with multiple tweets about the interest that Simmons is generating.

“NBA free agent forward Ben Simmons is expected to be a full participant with “zeros restrictions” in a player-led Aussie men’s national team mini-camp in Melbourne beginning Monday, sources to @andscape,” Spears tweeted. “Simmons took last season off in hopes of completely healing from injuries.

“Sources: Several NBA teams have expressed interest to Simmons’ camp, including one West squad that offered a training camp invite. He is also open to signing a vet minimum contract. Simmons has dreams of playing for Australia during 2028 LA Olympics. Attending mini-camp aids hope.”

Perhaps most notably, Simmons paid his own way to the Australian camp. A coach who recently worked him out told Spears that Simmons has regained his athleticism. Ben Simmons himself told Andscape that this is the best he has felt in years. That is a significant development for a player whose career has been derailed by injuries over the past several seasons.

Simmons recently told Men’s Health that he does not have a specific destination in mind for his NBA return, but he did mention two potential landing spots.

“Maybe I’ll go back to Philly,” Simmons said. “Miami would be nice,” he added, explaining that he likes Erik Spoelstra, the Heat organization, and its culture.

Ever since LeBron James signed with the 76ers, Ben Simmons has been linked with joining the team. In fact, the former ROTY even intensified the rumors with his Instagram stories.

Ben Simmons previously shared an IG story featuring LeBron James’ latest sneakers, Nike LeBron XXIII “Old Glory” with a pumped-up emoji. The relation to Klutch Sports also gave fans another reason to connect his social media activity with the possibility of joining James in Philadelphia.

At his best, Simmons was one of the NBA’s most unique two-way players. Standing 6-foot-10, he built his early career around transition play, passing, rebounding, and elite defensive versatility. During his four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game and earned Rookie of the Year, three All-Star selections, two first-team All-Defensive honors, and one third-team All-NBA selection. But injuries derailed his career.

Back and knee problems limited him to just 90 games across parts of four seasons with the Nets. Brooklyn bought out his contract in February 2025, allowing him to join the Clippers. With Los Angeles, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in a reserve role. Now, Philadelphia has resurfaced as a possibility.