Uluru bonding inspiration for Boomers for Rio ‘because a rock can’t break’
BONDING at Uluru as a group ahead of the Rio Olympics has turned into an exercise in national inspiration for the Boomers.
BONDING at Uluru as a group ahead of the Rio Olympics has turned into an exercise in national inspiration for the Boomers.
Australia’s 18-man squad - even the team’s nickname is a large male kangaroo - found or rediscovered their “Australiana” after a weekend in the Northern Territory before heading in to selection camp tomorrow in Melbourne.
Indigenous superstar and NBA champion Patty Mills drove the idea, which had the backing of both the NBA Players Association and the Australian Basketballers Association.
“It was about team bonding, with no staff members or anyone like that,” squad guard and London Olympian Adam Gibson said.
“We refurbished a court up here for the local Mutitjulu community with new hoops, lines, and what a great location for a court.”
Gibson said the sight of Uluru was awe-inspiring.
“Without a doubt,” he said. “Being able to see the Rock, you don’t realise until you stand beneath it how imposing it is.”
Dual-Olympian Brad Newley was one of the few Boomers already with some first-hand experience of Uluru.
“We lived up in Alice about 20 years ago so I’d seen the Rock before,” he said.
“It’s a special feeling. It has a real aura, so large, with the colours and the spirit of it.”
Newley said he believed the players would draw strength from yesterday’s visit to Australia’s most iconic landmark.
“A rock is really solid and can’t break,” he said.
“I’m sure we’ll draw a lot from this when the going gets tough in a game.”
Jacob Holmes, chief executive of the ABA, said Mills had been the driving force behind the visit to the red centre.
“It was Patty’s idea and a great one to launch the Olympic campaign from Uluru,” Holmes said.
“The NBAPA and the ABA, plus Adam Quick whose management group has Patty and Joe (Ingles) got it all up and running, with the idea to let the players drive it.”
Only Golden State Warriors championship centre Andrew Bogut, who is racing the clock endeavouring to rehabilitate severe bone-bruising of his left knee, missed the trip.
But Bogut is desperate to make the trip to Rio for his last Olympics and has been part of the camaraderie and bonding which has set apart this Boomers squad from its predecessors.
“Gold is our goal and that’s what we’re going for,” NBA championship-winner Matthew Dellavedova reiterated.
“Delly”, Mills, Ingles, Newley, Bogut, david Andersen ... virtually the entire squad have spoken at length about Australia’s focus and commitment to a Rio medal campaign.
It begins anew on court tomorrow for a Boomers group now as solid as the Rock.
Boomers squad: David Andersen (ASVEL, France), Cameron Bairstow (Detroit Pistons, NBA), Aron Baynes (Detroit Pistons, NBA), Andrew Bogut (Golden State Warriors, NBA), Ryan Broekhoff (Lokomotiv Kuban, Russia), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA), Adam Gibson (Brisbane Bullets, NBL), Cameron Gliddon (Cairns Taipans, NBL), Chris Goulding (Melbourne United, NBL), Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz, NBA), Nathan Jawai (Cairns Taipans, NBL), Daniel Kickert (Brisbane Bullets, NBL), Kevin Lisch (Sydney Kings, NBL), Aleks Maric (Sydney Kings, NBL), Damian Martin (Perth Wildcats, NBL), Patrick Mills (San Antonio Spurs, NBA), Brock Motum (Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania), Brad Newley (Sydney Kings, NBL).
Six players will need to be cut for the final team of 12 to Rio.