The Philadelphia coach has returned to the job ahead of next year's Games, replacing Andrej Lemanis after the Brisbane mentor effectively ended his own tenure by reaching out to Brown.

Coach of both Ben Simmons and Jonah Bolden at the 76ers, Brown's connection with that duo and the raft of other Australians playing in the United States was a major factor in Lemanis's thinking.

Brown wouldn't speak for Simmons at Wednesday's announcement, but is expectant of the NBA All-Star's commitment in the near future.

Having spoken to the entire playing group and, after coaching Australia to the final eight at London's games, Brown thinks he won't have to twist many arms.

"If there's anything I learned over my years doing the national job, is the first responsibility is to get the best players to play and that, nowadays, is difficult," Brown said.

"But there is nothing like the Olympic Games, there is zero like the Olympic Games.

"And that is learned by these players and I believe we will roll out Australia's best."

Mindful of creating a team around he trusts and know well, Brown is likely to make changes to his support staff and says he hasn't given the job thought beyond next year's Olympics.

Lemanis coached Australia to fourth at the Rio Games and China's World Cup, while also notching a maiden victory over the United States in the lead-up to the Cup earlier this year.

Now No.3 in the world, Lemanis has achieved all that with a long list of talent, but still not the complete article that could present for a golden Tokyo tilt.

"The two fourth places hurt," the Brisbane NBL coach said.

"It's a weird place to finish in a major tournament because you feel so much hurt and pain and yet so many good things had to happen to give you the opportunity to feel so bad.

"The more I processed it -- it was almost with a heavy heart, when I got to that spot and said, 'you know what, this (stepping down) is actually what's best for the team'."

BROWN'S TOKYO CHOICES - 21 PLAYERS IN THE MIX: Ben Simmons, Jonah Bolden, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Andrew Bogut, Jock Landale, Dante Exum, Ryan Broekhoff, Thon Maker, Deng Adel, Mitch Creek, Nicholas Kay, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, Josh Green, Brock Motum, Cameron Gliddon, Mitch McCarron, Nathan Sobey.

Australian Associated Press