If the Sydney Kings had waited another hour, they might have missed out on securing one of the most acclaimed defensive NBL players going around.

Justin Simon has joined the reigning champions as one of three imports for the upcoming season, but is no stranger to Australian basketball.

The American guard won Defensive Player Of The Year with the Kings' NSW rivals Illawarra the season before last.

Less than a year later, he took home the Best Defensive Player award in Germany's elite league, the Bundesliga.

With a championship to defend and the exits of Jaylen Adams and Jarell Martin to cover, the Kings put the call into Simon, whose game fits perfectly with a league as tough as the NBL.

Simon is still in touch with plenty of his old NBL mates and followed the league from afar while playing in Germany, so was keen to put pen to paper on a return to Australia.

If he had have slept on his decision to sign with the Kings though, Simon might have ended up in rival colours; Illawarra's management missed out on opening up contract talks with Simon by the slimmest of margins.

"I tell you what, (the Hawks) were about 40 minutes too late to have some type of chance of working something out," he told reporters.

"All in all though, (Sydney) is where I want to be. I'm glad everything worked out the way it was supposed to."

Simon's defection to the Kings will add another chapter in the rivalry, which reignited before last season even began after Kings chairman and co-owner Paul Smith accused his Hawks counterpart Dorry Kordahi of spying on Sydney's training.

Simon said he looked forward to being on the Kings' side of the rivalry this season.

"(The Hawks) know it's all part of the competitive nature for me, as far as that type of stuff goes," he said.

"Coming to the rival club, Sydney is a beautiful city. It's a historic club and I just want to be a part of something special. This is the place to be.

"I'm on the better side of NSW."

In his professional debut for the Chicago Bulls' G-League affiliate Windy City, Simon came up against current Kings head coach Chase Buford, who was in charge of the Wisconsin Herd at the time.

"It's crazy," Simon said.

"This basketball journey, it shows you a lot, it builds character.

"I'm amazed with and have loved everywhere it's taken me and the people I've met. (Reuniting with Buford) is a full-circle moment for sure.

"Coming back to this league, I'm all in, I'm excited and I can't wait to get started."