Would the Rio-bound Boomers - our alleged ‘greatest ever’ outfit - beat our Sydney Olympic team?

VOTE IN OUR POLL: Is Australia’s prospective Boomers team for Rio our “greatest ever?” BOTI NAGY says the proof is in the pudding.

Boti Nagy

4 min read

June 13, 2016 - 7:33PM

Andrew Gaze is hugged by teammates Sam Mackinnon (L) and Shane Heal during the Sydney Games. Picture: David Kapernick

REALLY? I mean, really? Basketball Australia has declared its team for Rio as “arguably the greatest team Australian basketball has ever assembled”?

For the love of Naismith, have these guys already forgotten their last genuine medal contender, the Sydney Olympic team which played off for bronze?

Clearly they have. Busy jumping through hoops over NBA championship combatants Andrew Bogut and Matthew Dellavedova, BA is basking in the glow of its record seven competitors in “The Show”.

Andrew Gaze is hugged by teammates Sam Mackinnon (L) and Shane Heal during the Sydney Games. Picture: David Kapernick

OK now, let’s keep it real. Bogey and Delly are factors for their teams and so too are Patty Mills at San Antonio, Joe Ingles at Utah and Aron Baynes at Detroit.

Dante Exum has just missed the entire 2015-16 season with Utah, rehabbing an ACL he tore last year and forward Cam Bairstow is a benchman at Chicago who has spent part of the past season in the D-League.

And, without being too much a stickler for detail, this “greatest team ever assembled” hasn’t even been assembled yet.

There’s a selection camp for the 17 men still in the battle for Boomers’ berths in Melbourne from July 5-14, but yes, already these guys apparently are better than Australian teams that produced topscorers at the Olympics such as Eddie Palubinskas, Ian Davies, Andrew Gaze and Patty Mills.

Or of the teams competing in Seoul (1988), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) which got to the medal rounds but came up short.

Ahead of Sydney 2000, our team was being called Australia’s “dream team” when, like now, we may have been dreaming.

Luc Longley (triple-champion at Chicago), Gaze (champion at San Antonio), Chris Anstey (seasons at Dallas, Chicago), Mark Bradtke (Philadelphia) and Shane Heal (Minnesota) all could boast legitimate NBA credentials.

Naturalised guard Ricky Grace had a few games with Atlanta Hawks and centre Paul Rogers was drafted by the LA Lakers, spent some time there rehabbing an injury, was traded to Toronto but never played a game.

Our prospective Boomers team for Rio also may include David Andersen and Nathan Jawai who also have logged NBA time.

But realistically, that isn’t the be-all and end-all because the US is just one - albeit the ultimate - opponent at an Olympics.

No need to talk to yourself, Michael. Luc Longley chillin’ with the GOAT in 1998.

In Sydney, the Boomers had to negotiate Canada (L), Yugoslavia (L), Russia (W), Angola (W), Spain (W), Italy (W), France (L) and Lithuania (L) and remember, that was with our original “dream team”.

Here’s the challenge - would the “greatest team Australian basketball has assembled” beat our Sydney 2000 Olympic team?

Admittedly, the first problem with the “greatest team Australian basketball has assembled” is that it hasn’t been selected.

So in pitting the “greatest” against the “dreamers”, first we have to imagine what shape our Rio team will finally take.

THE STARTERS

GAZE (201cm, 19.9) v DELLAVEDOVA (193cm, 7.3)

At this point in their respective careers, Drewey was at the top of his game while Delly is still climbing. Scoring phenomenon versus the feisty defender. Prepare the gauze. Winner: Sydney

HEAL (183cm, 14.9) v MILLS (183cm, 21.2)

Heal also was a freakish scorer but Mills is too, plus he also plays defence. That’s something Hammer never has been accused of. Winner: Rio

MACKINNON (197cm, 6.0) v INGLES (203cm, 15.2)

The odds are Slammin’ Sammy’s post work would trouble Jingles but the latter’s range would square the battle. Winner: Even

Andrew Bogut is a defensive master.

BRADTKE (208cm, 7.8) v BAYNES (208cm, 7.5)

It’s easy to forget Hogey was an NBL monster for a decade and its greatest ever big man. This would be a fierce contest. Winner: Sydney

LONGLEY (218cm, 10.3) v BOGUT (213cm, 12.7)

Great rebounder, shot-blocker, screener, passer, exceptional basketball IQ. OK now. Which one was I talking about? Exactly. Both of them. Winner: Even

THE BENCHES

GRACE (185cm, 3.3) v LISCH (188cm, -)

Two naturalised guards with super ability, NBL champs at Perth, what a match-up! Grace’s quickness would trouble Lisch but the latter’s toughness and big shot-making ability is huge. Winner: Rio

SMITH (193cm, 2.1) v BROEKHOFF (201cm, 7.7)

Smith’s athletic putback dunk in Sydney was a highlight but Broekhoff’s size, plus his athleticism and shooting range gives him the edge. Winner: Rio

MAHER (188cm, 0.0) v GOULDING (192cm, 12.5)

Mahersy was hardly in the Earth’s rotation, let alone the Boomers’ in Sydney, making this an easy but not necessarily completely fair comparison. Winner: Rio

CATTALINI (202cm, 0.0) v NEWLEY (199cm, 7.8)

Like Mahersy, Cat mostly only left the bench to grab a drink, while Newls remains a key role player. Winner: Rio

VLAVOV (201cm, 3.7) v BAIRSTOW (206cm, 7.0)

When it came to pulling on the green-and-gold, no-one would fight harder than The Hof. Remember him getting in Karl Malone’s face? Winner: Sydney

ANSTEY (213cm, 6.7) v ANDERSEN (213CM, 12.0)

Ando is our most successful Euroleague export but Anstey’s range and athleticism would make this a great contest. Winner: Sydney

ROGERS (213cm, 3.3) v JAWAI (208cm, 4.4)

The Beast of Bamaga is a dunking keyway presence but Rogey had more tiers to his game. Winner: Sydney

Patty Mills is always solid off the bench for the Spurs.

That makes it five positional wins for the Sydney team and five for the Rio prospects, with two break-evens.

Hardly makes the Rio team definitively the “greatest team Australian basketball has ever assembled”.

What Andrej Lemanis’ team has going for it, moreso than Barry Barnes’ team did 16 years ago, is a belief, camaraderie and commitment to standing on that dais.

A medal in Rio would settle any debate.