Need for speed: With Father Time and Paris approaching, Boomer handover begins

Since the Beijing Olympics, Patty Mills and Joe Ingles have driven the Australian Boomers’ rise to become gold medal contenders.

But that won’t strictly be the case at Paris 2024 as the team transitions to its next generation, including Josh Giddey, Dante Exum and Jock Landale, a process that began at last year’s FIBA World Cup but held back by Landale’s pre-tournament ankle injury.

Ready to go: Patty Mills will have a key role to play for the Boomers in Paris.Credit: Getty Images

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has warned Mills, 35, and Ingles, 36, they are not walk-up starters for Paris despite their legendary status in the team.

The players report their training camp in Melbourne has been fierce, physical and fast as 17 of them vie for the 12 roster spots on offer, with Mills and Ingles in the thick of the action and both seeking selection on their fifth Olympics team.

The Boomers will play China at John Cain Arena on Tuesday and Thursday before finishing their Olympic preparation against the USA and Serbia in Abu Dhabi.

Neither Mills nor Ingles will play as prominent a role for the team as they have in the past, but, if selected, they’ll be expected to provide drive and experience. It will be the performance of the younger players stepping up that determines whether the team can contend for a medal against teams such as the USA, Canada, France and Serbia, all laden with NBA superstars.

Australian Boomers and Houston Rockets centre Jock Landale.Credit: Getty Images

Landale, who didn’t fully recover from his injury until January, said he was primed to take more responsibility as the team looks build on the chemistry and spirit that drove it to a bronze medal in Tokyo.

“I just try to be a glue guy between the age groups and get us together,” Landale said.

“I’ve got to step into a bigger role than I’m used to. I think I had a really good campaign at the last Olympics, but I watched that guy back, and I think I’ve taken massive steps since then.

“Being able to step into a bigger role, helping Gidds, Patty and Josh Green to get some easy looks, or if they call on me, to score – I’m ready for whatever.”

Goorjian made tough calls on Matthew Dellavedova and Aron Baynes before last year’s World Cup. He and team management, including high-performance boss Jason Smith, have made it clear in player meetings they want the team’s leadership handover on and off court to be smooth.

Mills, a long-time starter, and Ingles, who came off the bench at the World Cup, have both been told that “Father Time’s approaching”.

“It was a tough lesson to learn [at the World Cup], so I think there is an appreciation [that] we have got to be better defensively and we have got to be faster and have speed in our transition game. Our young guys are much more effective in that than our older guys. We have to play that way,” Smith said.

“I think there is a better understanding of the way we need to play, and an appreciation of who can do that.

“Don’t get me wrong, wisdom, experience, tough shot-making, is crucial. But, in general, our style needs to be faster, we need to be better defenders, and we need to hit shots. That’s a combination of guys that have been there before and then the youth.”

Australian Boomers player (back row) Josh Green, Xavier Cooks, Duop Reath, Will Magnay, Nick Kay, Matisse Thybulle, (front row) Chris Goulding, Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels pose at an in-store appearance at Foot Locker QV on Friday.Credit: Getty Images

Chasing Olympic selection for the third time, Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding, 35, conceded the coaches had a huge task to bring the younger, largely NBA-based group together.

“It’s not Joe and Patty’s job – it’s everyone’s job to come together and figure out whatever way forward is best to try to win games, and what is going to hold us in the best stead for the next World Cup, the next Olympics, when I certainly won’t be there, I can say that now,” Goulding said.

Boomers stars Josh Giddey (3) and Patty Mills (5) share a moment.Credit: AP

“It is really an interesting and exciting time in Australian basketball. Hence, why I touch on how difficult a job the coaches have.

“I know there are conversations, there are meetings with everyone; Josh [Giddey], the young guys, Jock [Landale], Joe, Patty, Goorj, they meet all the time and try and hash it out. It’s not just we come together for two weeks and see how it goes.

“I am not privy to a lot of conversations. It’s more [for me]; come to camp, show up, put my stamp on it.

“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make sure this thing is successful.”

Boomers 17-man squad: Xavier Cooks, Dyson Daniels, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Chris Goulding, Josh Green, Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Will Magnay, Jack McVeigh, Patty Mills, Duop Reath, Matisse Thybulle, Dejan Vasiljevic, Jack White.

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