If we exclude Kyrie Irving (which we are for the purpose of this exercise), there are 14 Aussies across the NBA, from seasoned veterans like Patty Mills to fresh-faced rookies like Johnny Furphy.
We're considering a mix of their proven track record, current form, and overall ability to comprehensively assess their standing against one another.
Having appeared in a total of four NBA games so far this season for a combined seven minutes and three shot attempts, there aren't many other places Ducas could appear on this list. He showed great promise during his time at St Mary's, breaking the all-time games played record for the college, but he has yet to be given a true shot in the NBA with the OKC Thunder.
McVeigh is on a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets but he has found himself on the Rockets bench all season as opposed to playing for their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He is averaging 3.6 minutes per game through six appearances but gave fans a lot to like during their preseason campaign.
Travers has played a total of four games in the NBA and two games for the Cavs G League affiliate the Cleveland Charge. Through those two games in the G League he has averaged an impressive 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists, production which has not fully translated into his four NBA matches. Although on very limited minutes, he was given 30 minutes of playing time against the undermanned Pelicans where he scored four points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal. The playing time is a good sign and if given those opportunities the output will eventually come.
In his rookie season with the Indiana Pacers Johnny Furphy's career is off to a reasonably good start. He has taken the court in eight total games averaging just over nine minutes and scoring 2.4 points per game. The minutes are a great sign in his first season and as his game improves so will his playing time.
This season seems like a sign that the end is near for Ingles as he has struggled to make any impact with the Timberwolves. He is giving them five and a half minutes a game through seven games and is yet to even register a point. With that being said Ingles is one of Australia's greatest ever exports to the NBA and his impact on the game cannot be understated. While we are taking into account how our Aussies have played this season we also must consider what they have done for the game in Australia.
Much like Ingles, this season seems like it is a sign of where Mills is currently at in his career. After struggling to see any playing time with Atlanta last season, his move to Utah seemed like it could reignite his career. He has played in nine games this season averaging 3.6 points per game and any hope of becoming a key player on an NBA team may be lost. Nevertheless, Mills is an NBA champion and played a crucial role on a successful Spurs team for nine years.
Landale is getting consistent minutes in a backup role for the Houston Rockets averaging just over 11 minutes a game and is making the most of his time on court. He is shooting an impressive 50% from three and 45% from the field while averaging over four points per game, three and a half rebounds and one assist. Whether he stays with the Rockets for the foreseeable future or lands himself on another squad there is no doubt that he's carving himself out a nice role in the NBA.
Reath has been starved of opportunity so far this season taking a backseat behind the newly acquired Deandre Ayton and has also found himself out of favour compared to the Blazers other centres, Robert Williams and Donavon Clingan. But what puts Reath so high on this list is his production from last season from which he is now playing 13 minutes less per game. Through nine games he has only managed to score just over one point per game but if given more playing time he has proven he can be a valuable player.
Known for being a defensive specialist in the league, Thybulle has not taken the court this season due to injury but is a proven veteran. Through his career he has averaged one and a half steals a game. Thybulle lived in Sydney for a part of his childhood and has thus been able to represent the country but unfortunately was not included in the recent Olympic campaign.
After playing 82 games as a rookie, Exum has struggled with injury for most of his career. His latest season with Dallas was the best he had played in a long time and possibly saved his career. He played 55 games and was a key part in Dallas' successful year but has started the year off injured this year. It is hard to tell how Exum will play once he returns but if he continues his form from last season, his spot at five will be well earned.
Green departed Dallas for Charlotte during the offseason and it hasn't been the smoothest of transitions for him. His averages are down across the board and he is playing a similar amount of minutes. With that being said, he is one of the few Australian's in the NBA who is putting in over 25 minutes a game. He provides great energy and a scoring punch off the bench for the Hornets.
Through all of the hate and controversy that surrounds Simmons many people seem to forget that he is a three-time all-star and has been named in the all defensive first team twice. At his core Simmons is a great player who averaged near a triple double for a large part of his career. He is clearly out of form and his role on the Nets is complicated but remains averaging over five points, six rebounds and six assists a game. Whether he will ever get back to where his once was is hard to tell but his ability is definitely there.
Giddey had fallen well out of favour at OKC where there were several players fighting for the same position, so his move to Chicago opened up plenty of opportunities for him. He is putting up great stats across the board and has significantly improved his three point shooting percentage. His downfall lies in his defensive abilities with the Bulls going as far as to bench him in games that go down to the wire so teams cannot exploit his poor defensive efforts. Giddey still remains as one of our best performers in the league regardless of his lack of defensive skills.
Daniels has had a breakout year that almost nobody expected. He left the Pelicans where his opportunities were limited and joined Atlanta where he has absolutely exploded onto the scene. From last season to this season he has gone from averaging just under six points a game to now averaging over 14. But his biggest improvement has been his work on the defensive end. Daniels is averaging a league high 3.2 steals per game and is not only leading the league in deflections but is on track to break the all time record in that statistic. He is far and away the best Aussie in the NBA at the moment and has the potential to be for some time.