Ben Simmons keen to renew Dante Exum rivalry

— -- No. 1 draft pick Ben Simmons can't wait to go head-to-head with childhood friend Dante Exum on basketball's biggest stage.

Simmons and Exum, both sons of US-born fathers who played in Australia's National Basketball League, have developed a friendly rivalry that will move from backyard hoops in Melbourne to the NBA.

Simmons, 19, was selected No. 1 at the NBA Draft in New York on Thursday by Philadelphia 76ers, while Exum, 20, was the No. 5 selection when taken by Utah Jazz in 2014.

"Dante," Simmons said, when asked backstage at the draft which Australian player he was most looking forward to playing against.

"I'm definitely going at him when we play."

Exum has also been talking up potential NBA clashes with Simmons, joking he would have preferred that Los Angeles Lakers had selected Simmons because Utah play LA four times each year rather than just two games against the 76ers.

"We've had rivalries since we were like seven years old," Simmons said. "It's kind of weird seeing that relationship change from playing in the backyard to now we're going to be playing in the NBA."