There is a long history of Australians participating in the NBA, and the number is increasing year by year. The Australian team has grown from battling to get into the NBA to having number one draft picks in the league. We’ve compiled who we think are the top 5 Australians in the NBA currently, covering a wide range of players.
- Aron Baynes
- Ben Simmons
- Dante Exum
- Joe Ingles
- Patty Mills
Aron Baynes
The Australian professional basketball player Aaron John Baynes last played for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. Prior to his professional career in Europe, he played college basketball for Washington State University. As an NBA rookie, he joined the San Antonio Spurs in 2013. He won an NBA championship with the Spurs just one year later and became the top betting pick in most Aussie casinos online. His other teams include the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics. Baynes signed with the Pistons in 2015. His career-high 21 points came in a 115–103 win over the Brooklyn Nets during his time with the Pistons. During 2017 and 2018 he played with the Celtics, and during the 2019–2020 season, he played for the Suns. Since November 2020, Baynes has been playing with Toronto Raptors.
Ben Simmons
Australia’s most talented basketball player, Simons, is on the verge of becoming an all-time great even if his career is still unfolding. His NBA career began when he was selected as a number one pick in the 2016 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. With an aptitude for basketball, competitive drive, and athletic brilliance to rival LeBron James, Simmons is already on a path towards becoming an NBA legend. His renewed focus on defense made him a two-way monster in the 2019-2020 season. The attention that Simmons has received on the defensive end has been well deserved. He led the NBA in steals and deflections while averaging 2.1 per game. He is still a Philadelphia 76ers player to this day.
Dante Exum
In the National Basketball Association, Dante Exum plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2014, he was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft, after skipping college. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Exum was part of the Australian men’s basketball team. During the 2014 NBA draft, Jazz picked Exum with the fifth overall pick. On 29 October, he made his NBA debut, scoring five points in 912 minutes off the bench in the Jazz’ loss to Houston Rockets 104-93. As a rookie, he played in all 82 games and averaged 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 22.2 minutes per contest – as no new casinos online could predict such an outcome. On 17 September 2021, Exum signed a new deal with the Rockets, but on 16 October he was waived.
Joe Ingles
Joe Ingles may not be the most entertaining player to watch, but there is no denying his impact on the game. Among the top 3-point shooters in the NBA, Ingles makes a living as a perimeter shooter. Joe Ingles signed a four-year deal worth 52 million USD with the Utah Jazz during the 2017 NBA off-season. Considering Jinglin’ Joe logged 26 starts the previous season, this was a curious choice. Ingles, however, turned out to be a great bargain for the Jazz after Gordon Hayward left Utah for Boston just days later. In his rookie season, the 6’7 swingman averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, all career highs. The fourth-best three-point shooter in the league made 204 treys at a 44% clip.
Patty Mills
During his career, Patty Mills has been a grinder, drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in 2009 before going to the NBL, China, and then rejoining the NBA as a Spur. While at San Antonio, Mills nailed down the career of a professional athlete and excelled as a hypeman for the 2014 title team. With more than five years with the Spurs, Patty Mills is the team’s longest-tenured player. Mills was best known in his early Spurs career for sitting on the bench while watching his team play. After averaging 10.3 points per contest during the regular season and shooting 43% from downtown, Mills earned the honor of playing in all 23 of San Antonio’s playoff games. A Spur to this day and his role has grown gradually over time.
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