His agent, Rich Paul, informed ESPN of Simmons’ decision not to play in the Olympics so he could instead place a priority on NBA activities. Simmons would like to play for Australia in the future, and he had been listed on Australia’s extended Olympics roster.
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Simmons declared for the NBA Draft following his freshman season at LSU. The 6-10 forward averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his lone season with the Tigers.
While Simmons posted decent numbers in college, the Tigers suffered an inconsistent year and ended up with a disappointing 19-14 campaign. But because of his skill set and limitless potential, Simmons is expected to go high in June’s draft.
The NBA Draft is June 25 — the 2016 Summer Olympics begin Aug. 5.
