Australian teen basketball prodigy Ben Simmons will skip the 2016 NBA draft combine.
In a move which was widely expected, Simmons declined an invitation to the annual event, which allows draftees to showcase their skills to potential scouts through a range of drills and various athletic tests.
Top prospects often skip the combine, fearing they could do their draft chances more harm than good, preferring instead to take part in individual workouts with teams who possess the top few picks.
But Simmons' main rivals for the No.1 pick - including Brandon Ingram, Kris Dunn, Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray - will all attend the two-day camp.
Fellow-Australian Thon Maker, who successfully challenged the NBA to allow him to enter the draft, will attend the combine and is expected to be selected as a project player potentially late in the first round.
The No.1 draft pick from each of the past three seasons has not attended the combine, while Anthony Davis attended the camp in 2012 before being first pick for New Orleans.
