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Simmons has repeatedly pulled out of playing
major tournaments for Australia, including the Boomers' bronze
medal-winning Olympics in Tokyo.
However, Goorjian said Simmons now wanted to be in the national
setup for the August-September World Cup in Philippines, Japan
and Indonesia.
"It just didn’t work (in the past), but now he is in a situation
where he is getting his health back to be ready to play,"
Goorjian told Australian radio SEN.
"As we sit now, I think there is a really strong chance (for the
World Cup)."
The NBA's top draft pick in 2016, Melbourne-born Simmons
impressed in his first years with the Philadelphia 76ers but his
currency dropped during a difficult 2020/21 playoffs campaign
when he struggled from the free-throw line.
Under fire for his drop-off in form, Simmons's decision to pull
out of Tokyo weeks before the Games further disappointed
Australian fans.
Goorjian, however, has no hard feelings over the 26-year-old's
past reluctance to play for the country and said he wanted him
in his team.
"Our door is always open to him and during my time with the
Boomers he has always been straightforward with me,” he said.
"But that was a very tough situation (in Philadelphia) and he
was in the process of change."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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