Sydney Kings star Brad Newley missed out on place in Boomers squad but still feels part of their chase for Olympic gold
YOU could forgive Brad Newley for feeling bitter watching the Boomers’ historic surge to the semi-finals at the Rio Olympics.
YOU could forgive Brad Newley for feeling bitter watching Australia’s historic surge to the basketball semi-finals at the Rio Olympics.
Just last month Newley was on the cusp of selection for his third consecutive Olympics before being cut from the final 12-man squad.
It was a difficult blow to take for the Sydney Kings shooting guard, but he refuses to focus on the negatives.
Instead Newley feels blessed to have played a role in Australia’s campaign for Rio – highlighted by his inspirational parting message during the team’s bonding trip to Uluru just weeks out from the games.
“It’s a bloody big rock and it can’t be broken – that’s the main thing we took out of that camp,” Newley told The Saturday Telegraph.
“I said that in a team huddle and I thought it was a good metaphor, as in the rock and it’s hard to break.
“Those are just little things you add in and I’m glad if that little part has carried through to the team then that makes me proud.
“You watch the way the guys have been playing, they’ve been pretty solid and I think they are going to continue to play that way.”
If the Boomers beat Serbia on Saturday morning (8am AEST), they’ll progress through to a play-off for the coveted gold medal.
This will guarantee the Australians stand on the podium for the first time after two fourth-placed finishes in 2000 and 1996.
If the Boomers fail to defeat Serbia, they still have a shot at a third consecutive play-off for Bronze against the loser of the USA and Spain semi.
Newley freely admits Australia’s charge towards a maiden medal has been hard to see from the sideline, especially for a bloke who has previously donned the green and gold for over a decade.
“It has been tough to watch as a person who has been so close to it and the disappointment of potentially missing out on a medal,” he said.
“But at the same time I feel very much a part of it, in that guys in the team are good friends of mine.
“I’ve been on that side for more than 10 years and to see where we’ve come to where we started, it’s just an incredible build-up and I’m 100 per cent behind them.”
The Boomers have been praised for their impressive performances in Rio - built on the back of a strong team game at both ends of the court.
Much of this success is being credited to Australia’s bonding camp in Uluru, but Newley says the team’s connection has been built up over a number of years.
“We don’t really need to harp on that culture stuff because it’s so ingrained us,” he said.
“But what the Uluru trip did was really brought everyone in and gave us a chance to let our hair down before we went in and competed.
“You look at the majority of the team, it has basically been a club side for the last four years.
“Very few guys have rotated in and out and we’ve done a good job of incorporating guys and taking care of the guys who have left the squad as well.
“I think that’s another reason why the team is doing so well, because you pretty much know the playbook and there aren’t any adjustment periods.”
Newley may not be part of the Boomers’ squad in Rio, but he still has plenty to look forward to in the coming months.
As one of Sydney’s big-name recruits for the upcoming NBL season, the Adelaide-born shooting guard will play a crucial role in the Kings’ potential form reversal this season.
Sydney will officially tip-off their pre-season campaign at the Australian Basketball Challenge in Brisbane from September 23.
The Kings have games against New Zealand, Brisbane and Perth and Newley can’t wait to test himself against some of the NBL’s best players.
“It will be exciting,” he said.
“They are trying to pump it up a bit and we get to see what we will be like against NBL clubs.
“For us at Sydney, it’s enjoyable seeing the guys slowly making their way into the team and the roster developing nicely.
“We are gelling well and it’s a fun time to be a King.”
Originally published as Sydney Kings star Brad Newley missed out on place in Boomers squad but still feels part of their chase for Olympic gold