What happens when 'Boomers' join the NBA

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Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Johnny Furphy, Ben Simmons and Rocco Zikarsky — the starters on the expansion franchise Australian Boomers in the NBA's Western Conference.

What happened when the Boomers joined the league's Pacific Division in the 2025-26 season based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is the treat of NBA 2K26, building a franchise from scratch from home & away uniforms, the arena, court, seats, jumbotron and any players via a new league NBA draft of existing players and then simulating custom seasons while managing the franchise — hiring coaches, doctors and accountants.

The Boomers GM was diligent in the 14 rounds of the draft, selecting only Australians to play for the Boomers.

In the Boomers first four years in the league, they celebrated Patty Mills and Joe Ingles' retirements after its first season and made the Play-in tournament twice, advancing to the playoffs once and being eliminated the following year. It was a tough start for the expansion franchise.

2025-26 Australian Boomers NBA roster

1. Josh Giddey (82 OVR)
2. Dyson Daniels (83 OVR)
3. Johnny Furphy (70 OVR)
4. Ben Simmons (77 OVR)
5. Rocco Zikarsky (68 OVR)
6. Josh Green (73 OVR)
7. Jock Landale (74 OVR)
8. Tyrese Proctor (69 OVR)
9. Lachlan Olbrich (68 OVR)
10. Patty Mills (71 OVR)
11. Joe Ingles (73 OVR)
12. Alex Toohey (69 OVR)
13. Matisse Thybulle (75 OVR)
14. Taran Armstrong (67 OVR)

Too many Australians to fit into the roster. Dante Exum went to the Brooklyn Nets and Duop Reath wasn't in the draft.

The first thing the Boomers did was sign Josh Giddey to a four-year $150M deal ... unlike the real world. Giddey won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award and made the All-NBA third team, averaging 26.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists on 55% from the field, 78% from the free throw line and 32.2% from three.

But the Boomers missed the playoffs with a tough 26-56 record.

Trading for Kyrie Irving was a priority in the off-season and the Boomers landed him on a $45M deal after trading pick 2 and Jack McVeigh in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Pistons, a protected pick in 2028. The Pistons waived McVeigh so the Boomers resigned him immediately.

The Boomers were well under the salary cap so it was easy to secure Irving long term along with Giddey's extension.

But Irving did force Giddey to the bench but, boy did he respond. He won the 2026-27 Sixth Man of the Year while Irving led the Boomers into the Play-in tournament, beating Memphis 135-131 to earn the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Celebrating turned into a sweep as the two-seed Nuggets sweep the Boomers 4-0.

Keeping the roster together proved a challenge with several Australians, unhappy with their minutes declined player options but through the draft and trading non Australians, the Boomers got them back, including an unhappy Rocco Zikarsky who left after the first season.

Fortunately Dyson Daniels, the equal highest ranked perimeter defending in the league, was unhappy but as a restricted free agent, the Boomers match the offer from the the Chicago Bulls and paid the man! He stayed.

By the start of their third season Johnny Furphy and Tyrese Proctor were turning into stars. Furphy, an established starter by now, was closing in on an 80 OVR(+10) while Proctor was in the mid-70s.

Simmons on the other side of 30 was replaced in the starting line-up by Lachlan Olbrich but the Boomers depth a power forward was becoming a problem. Non-Australians started creeping into minutes but the head coach kept them in check.

Giddey won his second successive Sixth Man of the Year Award, averaging 20.8 ppg; 8.0 rebounds; 6.0 assists.

The Boomers were 31-24 at the All-Star break and made the Play-in again, finishing ninth, but Memphis avenged their 2027 exit, crushing the Boomers 138-117 despite Proctor dropped 33 points in just 20 minutes.

Major work needed to be done heading into the franchise's fourth year. Irving was moved to the bench and replaced by Giddey. Australia started Giddey, Daniels, Furphy, Olbrich and Zikarsky but it was tough.

Both Giddey and Daniels were bonafide stars (85 OVR) but depth became an issue even with the emergence of Furphy (OVR). Our bigs struggled against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic but streaks of four and five wins in January were offset but a late season losing streak that pushed the Boomers into 12th in the division and missed the play-offs.

Time didn't allow physically playing more than 320 games — on pro level — but in the one user controlled game, the Boomers first, they crushed the Brooklyn Nets by 20 with Giddey dishing dimes, Furphy coming off screens and hitting threes, Simmons crashing the boards and Rocco (unusually large) dominating the middle.

Daniels, Green and Thybulle were almost unbeatable on the perimeter making the Boomers elite on the defensive side of the ball.

The simulation showed weaknesses on offensive — averaging 109 points per game in the first season — but the signing of Irving changed that as the Boomers averaged just under 120 points in their second season and with Giddey playing significant minutes off the bench were a playoff contender.

Could the NBA, one day, consider an expansion team on US soil made up a single country. Highly unlikely, improbable to impossible but in NBA 2K26 its a "virtual" reality.

What is MyNBA (Franchise Mode) in NBA 2K26

• When beginning a MyNBA save, you can enable Fantasy Draft or customise league rosters.
• You can reassign existing players to any team you want, or create a brand-new expansion team and stock it with real players from the league.
• You can also mix free agents and legends if you toggle those settings.

Australian Boomers Year by Year Breakdown

2025-26

• Ben Simmons was injured in the fifth game of the season and was rule out for six-eight weeks with a Severe Left Ankle Sprain.
• On December 31, 2025 the Boomers were 10-24
• Boomers finished with a 26-56 (.317) record in the Pacific Division. The Clippers won the division with 56-26.
• Australia was 12-29 at home and 14-27 away, averaged 109.1 ppg on 47.1% from the field and 33.6% from three.
• The Boomers longest losing streak was six games.
• Josh Giddey won the Most Improved Player Award: 26.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists on 55% from the field, 78% from FT and 32.2% from three. he also made the All-NBA Third team.

2026-27

• Both Patty Mills and Joe Ingles retire, citing the grind of another season a bridge too far.
• The Boomers had the 2nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft but traded the pick along with Jack McVeigh for Kyrie Irving.
• Rocco Zikarsky declined an offer to stay and signed with the San Antonio Spurs. It made room for Jock Landale in the starting line-up.
• On December 31, 2026 the Boomers were 17-19: 6-4 in the last 10 averaging 115ppg and 49.7% from the field.
• The Boomers were 27-29 at the All-Star Break and finished the regular season 43-39 — 8th in the Western Conference.
• Boom! Australian made the Play-in against 7th (Memphis), winning the game 135-131 to advance to Playoffs to face two-seed Denver.
• Ouch! It was a 4-0 sweep.
• Josh Giddey won the 6th Man of the Year: averaging 21.5 ppg, 7.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists. He was 58.7% from the and 39.3% three. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

2027-28

• The Boomers GM made it his mission to bring back Rocco. He succeeded on December 23, trading Australia's non lottery pick in 2028 and a non Australian player who was drafted in 2026.
• Giddey was now 85 (OVR); Furphy 80 (OVR); Proctor 78 (OVR) and Daniels (85 OVR);
• Rocco was inserted back into the starting line-up and at December 31, 2027, Australia was over .500 at 19-16 averaging 119 points per game.
• The Boomers were 31-24 at the All-Star Break (.564)
• The Western Conference is tough! The Boomers finished 46-36 but were 10th in the West but back in the Play-in.
• This time, Memphis had their revenge hammering the Boomers 138-117 in the elimination game. Proctor had 32 points in 20 mins, Irving 24 in 33, Giddey had 9-7-7 and Furphy 17-7-2 in 34 minutes.
• Giddey won his second straight 6th Man of the Year Award: 20.8 ppg; 8 rebounds; 6 assists. He shot 55% from the field.
• Dyson Daniels made the All-NBA Defensive Second Team.
• Remarkably, The Clippers won their first ever NBA Championship 4-3 against the Pacers ... led by SGA, who won the Finals MVP.

2028-29

• Giddey replaces ageing Irving in the starting rotation.
• Australian starters are Daniels (85); Giddey (83); Furphy (80); Olbrich (74); Rocco (77).
• On January 7, the Boomers were 18-18 and both Simmons and Irving are injured.
• Australia's depth at power forward is being tested. Olbrich is playing big minutes. Rocco starting now, sharing minutes with Landale but Proctor, Giddey and Furphy are cooking.
• The Boomers were 25-28 at the All-Star Game and their depth cracking under the strain of injuries and big minutes for their starters. The rotation wasn't deep.
• The Boomers finished 12th in the West and missed the playoffs.

2029-30

• A roster rebuild is underway to surround Giddey, Daniels, Furphy and Proctor with the depth they need to make a deep play-off run.
• But developing Australian talent is a challenge against teams with players boasting +90 OVR superstars.
• The Boomers fifth season will be one of manual intervention via a PS5 controller.
• Watch out NBA, the Boomers are coming for you.

The author received a review code for NBA 2K26 from 2K Sports.