Boomers name strong 12-man squad for shot at maiden Olympic medal in Tokyo

It’s a side bursting with talent and international experience but, as the Boomers search for their first medal on the world stage, could they be missing a couple of vital ingredients?

Unfinished business has been hailed the Boomers’ Olympic redemption catchcry following the announcement of the final 12-man team for Tokyo.

The Australians named a strong squad for the Games, featuring two four-time Olympians Patty Mills and Joe Ingles and seven Olympic debutants.

Mills and Ingles fourth Olympics is behind only Andrew Gaze’s five Games for an Australian basketballer, while Matthew Dellavedova and Aron Baynes return for their third Games and Chris Goulding makes his second Olympic Team.

Olympic debutants Dante Exum, Joshua Green, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Nathan Sobey and Matisse Thybulle complete the squad, which is bursting with international experience.

Brock Motum, Josh Giddey and Xavier Cooks were named the replacement players.

Giddey’s absence in the final 12-man squad caused the most debate as it was expected the projected top 10 NBA draft pick would be selected to gain international experience with one eye to the future.

Josh Giddey was a surprise omission from the final 12.

The squad for Tokyo is filled with experience and exciting debutants, but there is doubt over the team’s lack of big man depth following Andrew Bogut’s retirement.

The Boomers will launch their campaign for their first Olympic medal against Nigeria on 25 July, with their two remaining pool opponents to be confirmed at the final Olympic Qualifying tournaments currently being played in Europe.

Triple Olympian Baynes believes the team is driven to achieve that elusive international medal.

“Unfinished business is in the forefront of all our minds,” Baynes said. “We’re all excited to get out there and chase that gold medal.

“There’s so much young talent coming through in Australian basketball that we’re excited to incorporate into the Boomers system and hopefully lets us take that next step. When we can mix that and incorporate that team chemistry quickly, that will be key to our success.

“It’s the highest honour for us playing basketball to get to play with our mates who have all grown up together and are second family now. We just want to carry that over and instil it in the young guys.”

On the challenges of the past 18 months, Baynes said the goal hadn’t changed.

“You gotta roll with the punches,” he said.

“We were ready last year, but everyone’s in the same boat. We’re excited that the opportunity is here now.”

Matisse Thybulle will make his Olympic debut, off the back of a successful season with Philadelphia which saw the 24-year-old named to the NBA All-Defensive second team.

“As a kid you see the [Olympic] stage and how big it is, for me I couldn’t even imagine myself having the opportunity to be there,” Thybulle said.

“Now this is real and becoming even more real as each day goes by, it’s a special opportunity and I want to experience all of it.”

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian praised the senior players for driving the team’s culture.

“It‘s very clear what the goal is,” Goorjian said.

“It’s not driven from me; I’ve walked into it, and it’s hit me in the face. That leadership group want a gold medal and if they don’t get it, they’ll be disappointed.

“My job is to come in here and do everything I can to help them complete the vision.

“It’s huge having that experience. I’m in a unique situation where I was part of the Boomers in Beijing with Patty and Joe to come back close to 12 years later and see what the culture has become – the first two days of practice I just took it all in. Where it’s gone in that time, through that leadership group with Delly, Baynes, Joe and Patty has been amazing to see.”

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian is feeling confident about the Australian team culture heading into the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Basketball Australia.

Goorjian believes the Boomers need the senior players to help evolve the team’s culture, especially with so many rookies joining the team.

“Now you’ve got seven debutants coming in, the culture is unique, and you can’t continue without that main group touching you,” he said.

“Being part of this culture, not only for this Olympics is it important, but for the future of Australian basketball, where you’re not starting from square one. So those guys being in this group is really going to help not only for Tokyo but beyond.”

Boomers 12-man team for Tokyo:

Patty Mills, Dante Exum, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, Matisse Thybulle, Josh Green, Jock Landale, Chris Goulding, Nick Kay, Nathan Sobey and Duop Reath. Replacements: Brock Motum, Josh Giddey and Xavier Cooks.

Originally published as Boomers name strong 12-man squad for shot at maiden Olympic medal in Tokyo