Life is great for Ben Simmons, and it's only going to get better.
The 19-year-old from Melbourne has already signed a $US20 million Nike shoe contract, he shot two Foot Locker TV commercials and on Tuesday he was a guest on NBC's The Tonight Show.
"I'm trying to think what your accent is there," the talkshow's host, Jimmy Fallon, asked Simmons.
"Australian," the teenager replied.
"Australian mixed with American."
Simmons' most important appointment comes on Thursday (Friday 10am AEST) at the NBA Draft inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, when the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to select him with their number one pick.
With it comes a $US15.42 million three-year salary and plenty of expectations.
"It's exciting," Simmons told Fallon.
The 208cm tall Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game in his one year at Louisiana State University.
In recent weeks he has frustrated the 76ers and the team with the second pick, the Los Angeles Lakers, by declining to work out for them before the draft.
He had a late change of mind and on Tuesday Simmons visited the 76ers.
Simmons perhaps also extinguished any doubt he did not want to be drafted by the woeful 76ers, who have won just 47 games and lost 199 the past three years, with a comment to Fallon.
The 76ers can thank the famous Philly cheesesteak.
Fallon presented one to Simmons and after taking a bite of the city's famous fare Simmons replied: "I could live in Philly".
76ers coach Brett Brown, also a former Australian Olympic coach, has been close friends with Simmons' family for decades.
Brown was an assistant for the great Australian coach Lindsay Gaze at the Melbourne Tigers in the late 1980s and early 90s when Simmons' US-born father Dave was a power forward/centre on the team.
"He played professionally in Australia, met my mum and, boom, here I am," Simmons said of his father.
Fallon also noted something impressive about Simmons' Nike contract.
"Now you have more millions than years of your life," the comedian said.
©AAP2016
