Another Aussie joins Simmons at 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers have added to their Australian flavour by drafting 21-year-old Jonah Bolden to play alongside last year's No.1 overall pick Ben Simmons.

Bolden, a 208cm-tall Melbourne-born athletically gifted power forward, was selected by the 76ers with the 36th pick.

The 76ers are coached by Brett Brown, the former Australia national team and NBL head coach.

On a busy Thursday night for Philadelphia at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, they selected point guard Markelle Fultz, a star at the University of Washington, with the No.1 pick.

Being drafted is a dream come true for Bolden, who grew up in Australia watching his US-born father Bruce Bolden, who was one of the greats of the NBL after 17 seasons with multiple NBL teams.

Simmons' father Dave Simmons is also an American-born basketballer who went to the NBL and enjoyed Australia so much he stayed and raised a family.

Bolden endured two unsatisfying years in Los Angeles at UCLA before turning professional and signing with a Serbian club where his play in the Adriatic League impressed NBA scouts.

The 76ers have had horror recent seasons but it qualified them for high-draft picks, resulting in a roster of talented young players headed by Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Nik Stauskas and Jahlil Okafor.

Earlier in the draft the NBL received a major endorsement when American 19-year-old Terrance Ferguson, who played last season with Adelaide 36ers, was selected by Oklahoma City Thunder with the 21st pick.