A young, athletically-gifted Ben Simmons showed plenty of rugby league and Aussie rules potential growing up in Australia, but the Philadelphia 76ers star says a professional cricket career was never an option.
Simmons, who played some backyard cricket, believed he faced a significant physical roadblock to earning a baggy green cap.
"I'm 6ft 10in (208cm tall)," Simmons told reporters during a wide-ranging press conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of Friday's NBA Rising Stars game.
"I don't think I've ever seen a 6ft 10in cricket player."
The 22-year-old has a busy All-Star weekend starting with leading the World Team against Team US on Friday (Saturday 1pm AEDT) in the Rising Stars game.
It pits the NBA's best first and second-year players.
Simmons will make his All-Star debut on Sunday (Monday midday AEDT) when he suits up for Team LeBron against Team Giannis.
LeBron James will lead Simmons and a loaded roster featuring Kevin Durant and James Harden against Giannis Antetokounmpo's squad including Steph Curry, Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
Simmons was full of praise for his 19-year-old Rising Stars teammate and Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic.
Simmons said if he was choosing his Rising Stars roster the sensation from Slovenia would be his first pick.
He also predicted Doncic would follow in his footsteps and be named this season's Rookie of the Year.
Simmons still seems cold on joining this year's Australian squad in playing the two exhibition games in Melbourne in August against Team USA and then spearheading the Boomers' squad at the World Cup in China.
"I'm not really focused on it right now, but I know when I have the right opportunity to go play and represent Australia I'll do that," Simmons said.
Simmons was embroiled in controversy the past week when news broke he was interested in working out with Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers legend and president of the team's basketball operations.
Simmons explained his desire to learn from the game's greats.
"I mean, whenever you have an opportunity to talk to a Hall of Famer regardless of who it is you want to get some information and learn from them," Simmons said.
Johnson and the Lakers, keen to add All-Stars to their roster, have been fined for breaching the NBA's tampering rules the past year.
The NBA cleared Johnson and the Lakers on Tuesday after finding it was the 76ers who initiated the contact "with the Los Angeles Lakers by requesting a meeting between Johnson and Simmons".
Simmons was asked to name his basketball role models growing up and he chose James and Johnson.
"Somebody I looked up to as a player was LeBron, for sure," Simmons said.
"I watched a lot of Magic highlights.
"So I think those are the two guys I have really looked at."
The 76ers recently traded for LA Clippers forward Tobias Harris, a move some NBA analysts believe gave Philadelphia the best starting five in the league with Harris lining up alongside Simmons, Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick.
Simmons was measured with his assessment.
"I think we have a good starting five," Simmons said.
Simmons also did not dig too deep when asked what the 76ers needed to work on in their pursuit of an NBA title.
"Offence. Defence," Simmons replied.
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