The ACT Academy of Sport graduate has watched their rapid ascent to basketball stardom in awe, but remains hopeful he will eventually follow suit.

Malone, a 213-centimetre centre, will reunite with 2012 under-17 world championship teammate Simmons at Louisiana State University later this year.

Simmons was officially anointed the best high school player in the US this year and Malone has watched his rise and that of NBA top-five draft pick Exum with interest.

He said the Australian invasion of the US, headlined by Matthew Dellavedova and Andrew Bogut squaring off in the NBA finals, has given the centre belief he can take the next step.

Malone describes himself on his Twitter page as "the tall guy at LSU that sounds kinda weird", but Aussie accents in American hoops have never been more normal.

"It definitely shows it doesn't matter where you come from, you can always succeed," he said.

"Patty [Mills] coming from Canberra and Delly from a small town in Victoria, it shows there's limited chances for success.

"Ben, Dante and I were all on the under-17 [Australia] team which silver medalled in 2012.

"It was just before they really started to become household names, it's funny to see how quickly things can change for people in just a matter of years.

"Absolutely I think I can do it [play NBA] but it's a process, just increase my skill more and more every year."

Malone averaged just under nine minutes a game for Louisiana last season and is playing in front of crowds of between 15,000 to 30,000 every week.

Simmons-mania means the college will be put squarely under the microscope, and Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis said it will give Malone a platform to push his own barrow.

"It'll certainly bring an attention to that program they perhaps wouldn't have without Ben. It will put him in the spotlight a lot more and is a chance to show his skill set across the country," Lemanis said.

"One of the realities of big guys is they develop at different rates and tend to be a bit older when they start to truly grasp what their body allows them to do, and how good they can be.

"He needs to keep adding strength and bulk to his body and play out of his stance, play with a bit more poise.

"He does a good job of running and sealing and presents fantastic targets in the post, if he adds a few more weapons to his arsenal he's something to deal with."

Malone has been getting some pointers from triple NBA championship-winning centre and Boomers assistant Luc Longley at a training camp at the AIS this week.

He said the words of wisdom from a man who shared a locker room with Michael Jordan had been beneficial.

"You talk about experience, he's got years of it behind him. His knowledge and ability to coach and teach has benefited me already over the last few days," he said.

With Australia's leading centres in the back end of their careers, Lemanis said there was an opportunity for Malone to press his claims for the 2020 Olympics.

"There's Bogut in the five [centre] spot, the Aleks Maric's and Nate Jawai's of this world, but the reality is they're all starting to get a bit older," Lemanis said.

"They've got 2016 [Olympics] and maybe a couple have 2020 in them, but we are certainly after that next crop of five men coming through, and that's where Darcy needs to set his sights."