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Ben Simmons has formally agreed to a record-breaking contract extension,according to his agent.Credit:AP

He joins Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players with at least 10 triple-double in each of their first two seasons.

Doubt still hangs over whether the Melbourne-born NBA All-Star will play for Australia later this year at the World Cup in China and in Melbourne and Perth exhibition games.

It was Paul who shocked Australian sports fans on the weekend when he told ESPN that Simmons was"doubtful"to play for Australia at the World Cup in August-September.

His absence would be a major blow to the Boomers'hopes of claiming a medal in China in September and to huge crowds of Australian fans planning to watch him play exhibition games with the Boomers.

The Boomers will play a powerful US squad twice in front of more than a combined 100,000 fans at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne in August.

Simmons was also set to play for the Boomers twice in Perth against a strong Canadian squad before jetting out to China.

The Boomers are yet to win a medal at a World Cup or Olympics,but with Simmons spearheading a team laden with Australian NBA players including Patty Mills,Andrew Bogut,Joe Ingles,Matthew Dellavedova,Aron Baynes and Jonah Bolden,the drought appeared set to be broken.

On June 23,2016,Simmons became the first No. 1 pick taken by the Sixers since 1996,when they took Allen Iverson out of Georgetown.

The 208cm,104kg point guard missed the entire 2016-17 season through injury,but hit the floor the following season to be named 2018 rookie of the year and then Australia's first ever All-Star in 2018-19.

AAP,McClatchy