Ben Simmons has confirmed his availability for Australia at Paris 2024 ©Getty Images

Australian basketball player Ben Simmons has made himself available for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games despite not playing for the national team since 2016.

Simmons was picked first in the 2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft and decided not to join his national team for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro that same year despite confirming his intentions to play a year before.

He made the decision as he wanted to concentrate on his rookie season in the league.

In 2019, he stated that he would represent Australia at the Basketball World Cup but once again made a U-turn, citing "professional obligations".

Simmons then withdrew from the Tokyo 2020 team "in order to improve his shooting skills for the 2021-2022 NBA season."

"I was in the middle of the shit," said the three-time NBA All-Star, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Of course, I wanted to go out there and play with Dante Exum and Joe Ingles and Patty Mills - those are my guys.

"But there's only so much to say: I was in a bad place, and I didn't play.

"Do I want to play for Australia?

Ben Simmons bailed out of competing at the last two editions of the Olympic Games but still claims to be determined to play for his country at the event ©Getty Images
Ben Simmons bailed out of competing at the last two editions of the Olympic Games but still claims to be determined to play for his country at the event ©Getty Images

"One hundred per cent.

"Will I one day?

"One hundred per cent.

"I'm going to the Olympics.

"It's not a question - it's a dream of mine.

"But I'm also not going to let people tell me when and how I do things."

Australia's men's team recorded their best Olympic result at Tokyo 2020 where they won the bronze medal following a 107-93 victory over Slovenia in the third-place playoff.

The Boomers have also finished fourth on four different occasions.