🔗 Share this article

This year's National Basketball Association season starts now, signaling the initial occasion in a decade that Aussie pair of most prominent basketball stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

This change signals a transition period, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for playoff aspirants, with new huge contracts making them some of the country's top athletic earners.

But they are not alone. A group of 14 Aussies are set to compete for minutes around the league, ranging from veteran centres Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to promising rookies like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Out to Prove Himself

Following lengthy discussions with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey ultimately inked his rookie extension worth $100m (A$153 million) over four seasons recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melbourne native, but in NBA terms it is cheap for his role and profile as a primary ball-handler. Hesitation for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the young star begins this year with a point to make.

Having been traded by Oklahoma City at the beginning of last campaign, he observed as his old team stormed to the NBA championship in his absence. As the Bulls look to reach the postseason in the less competitive Eastern Conference, he will need to demonstrate his shooting and defensive skills are elite-level or else he may fall back towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

Daniels agreed to the same deal as Giddey recently, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Hawks player's career has skyrocketed in Atlanta following his exit from the New Orleans. He is now praised as one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders, and led the league in steals with three per game – over one full takeaway per game higher than the total of the runner-up.

Playing next to flamboyant Trae Young in the Hawks, the 22-year-old can be effective this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and elite defender as long as the team advance to the postseason. But if he can elevate his long-range game, which was below league average last year, and continue to develop his passing and attacking, Daniels could become one of the league’s most versatile players.

Johnny Furphy A Dunking Sensation

Pacers wing Furphy has emerged as a fan favourite in Indiana following a series of highlight-reel dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led NBA personality Pat Beverley to label him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an opportunity to the mid-season slam dunk competition could be on the table.

Following logging just 8 mpg per game over 50 games in his debut season, the ex- Maribyrnong College player is in the running for a Indiana rotation that might lean towards young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor dropped in the NBA Draft down to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland picked him. The Cavaliers are favourites to make the Finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be unusual for a first-year player drafted in the second round to see much court time. But the Sydney product has earned minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a chance to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Experienced Group

Veteran big man Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting five position in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will miss the start of the season after a surgical procedure.

In Portland, Duop Reath is the experienced reserve to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see consistent minutes if the Blazers find themselves in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is expected to be deployed as a defensive spark off the bench.

In Charlotte, Josh Green’s off-season shoulder surgery has left him without a timeline to return. The player still has a deal for the upcoming year, but will not want to give his colleagues at the developing Hornets an excessive advantage. And a physical issue has already slowed Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has missed key exhibition chances in the Mavericks.

Australian NBA Players Fighting for Roles

Additionally, there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, game action this year. Veteran Joe Ingles is returned in the Timberwolves, but seems to be primarily a big brother ensuring Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be developed by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Other rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the development pipeline, while the experienced Luke Travers will be hoping to win playing time alongside Proctor for the Cavs.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Fish for a Deal

If there were any doubts Mills was planning to end his career, he addressed it with a training clip posted on his social media over the weekend, showing the 37-year-old remains sharp and determined on landing another NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an off-season in his homeland, angling and playing with a Sherrin. Even though he took to Instagram recently to reject suggestions he was retired, the former All-Star – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has yet to surface.