Former All-NBA guard/forward Ben Simmons is expected to participate with “zero restrictions” in a player-led mini-camp for Australia’s national team starting Monday, Marc J. Spears reports for Andscape (Twitter link). Spears adds (via Twitter) that Simmons is footing his own bill for the camp and that, according to a trainer who recently worked out with him, he showed his former athleticism after taking last year off to fully recover from the injuries that slowed him down in recent years.

Simmons last played in the NBA during the 2024/25 season, which he split between the Nets and the Clippers. He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds that year, shooting a career-low 52.0% from the field, though he did hit a career-high 72.7% of his free throws.

With Simmons dropping several hints that he was eyeing an NBA comeback, Spears reports that several teams have expressed interest in him, with a Western Conference team going so far as to offer him a training camp invitation (Twitter link).

Spears notes that Simmons would be open to signing a veteran’s minimum deal, and adds that he hopes to play for Australia in the 2028 Olympics.

We have more notes from around the world of basketball:

The basketball world has come together to mourn and pay tribute to Hall of Famer Don Nelson after he passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. The list of players and coaches, both active and retired, who spoke out in the wake of his passing was extensive, Damon Sayles writes for The Athletic.  “You didn’t just draft me. You believed in me,” Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki wrote (Twitter link). “You saw things in my game before I ever realized I could do them. I’ve said it a million times and I will always say it: I don’t think my career could have turned out how it did without you being my first coach and giving me the freedom to play my game. I can only say THANK YOU. For everything.” The Warriors, with whom Nelson spent 11 years, also issued a statement, as did Stephen Curry, who said the legendary figure was “one of the big reasons (he) was drafted by the Warriors.” “Don Nelson was one of the most innovative and influential coaches in the history of the NBA and an iconic figure in Warriors history,” the team said, per the Associated Press. “During two memorable stints as head coach, ‘Nellie’ left an indelible mark on our franchise with his approach to the game.”

French club Boulazac is currently in negotiations with Patrick Beverley, the Eurohoops team reports. Beverley spent last season with PAOK, in the Greek league, where he averaged 9.3 points and 3.3 assists in FIBA Euro Cup play and helped the team make the finals.

French team ASVEL is undergoing a large-scale restructuring after the club’s funding came in at under half of its initial projections, due to issues with a patron, Johnny Askounis writes for Eurohoops. In the wake of that news, former Lakers owners Joey and Jesse Buss have emerged as potential investors. Head coach and Spurs legend Tony Parker has been tasked with aiding in negotiations, which are expected to conclude by the end of 2026.