FIBA World Cup 2023: Latest news and whispers on Boomers selection camp
Matthew Dellavedova is refusing to give up on representing Australia again after his brutal cut from the Boomers World Cup squad. Here’s what he did next after the news.
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A day after absorbing the disappointment of being cut from the Boomers World Cup squad, it was business as usual for veteran Matthew Dellavedova.
Back in Melbourne Thursday after the Boomers camp, Delly was straight into it at Hoops City recovering from nine days of intense competition in Cairns and casting an eye over his Melbourne United squad as it prepares for its first pre-season hitout this weekend.
“It’s unbelievable, super tough for Delly … but he’s in the next day after being cut,” new United teammate Luke Travers marvelled.
The NBA champion went through a brutal training regimen in the lead up to the camp, reportedly shedding eight kilograms in a bid to keep his storied international career alive.
He attacked the camp like a man possessed, diving for everything as if he was in the middle of an NBA playoff game — at one point in a Sunday scrimmage landing in the bleachers among onlookers.
United Coach Dean Vickerman said his point guard had already set an example in the way he handled the brutal decision.
“We talked about it to our group today about his preparation for that camp and he’s changed his body a little bit more and shed a little bit and got stronger and did absolutely everything he could to go ahead and make that team,” Vickerman said.
“He misses out and he’s in here the day after he gets cut and he’s getting his body right, he’s talking about how to move forward with us and what it looks like and that there’s still hope for him to make future Boomers teams.
“How (he) handled the situation of being cut was a fantastic example we presented to the rest of our team today.
“We know he’s going to carry a chip on his shoulder all year and Delly with a chip on his shoulder is something to be feared.”
United teammate Chris Goulding was also at practice on Thursday and remains a live chance to make the World Cup team.
United takes on US college Cal Baptist at Diamond Valley on Saturday night and, with Dellavedova rested and fellow ballhandlers Shea Ili and Flynn Cameron on duty with the New Zealand squad, Vickerman will lean on Travers, who was signed to play primarily at power forward, to initiate the offence.
“He’s into it, I really checked it off with him to say are you comfortable doing this and he said, ‘yeah, I think it’s great for me to go and do it’,” Vickerman said.
Travers added: “It’s going to be good for me just to be able to learn the plays a little bit quicker (and) learn where guys have to be a little bit more.”
United has called up non-rostered youngsters Joel Foxwell, Erik Kafritsis, Daniel Poelsma and Cameron Thew for the clash.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR DELLY AFTER SHOCK BOOMERS AXING?
Matt Logue and Michael Randall
The stellar Boomers career of three-time Olympian Matthew Dellavedova appears to be over after he was cut from Australia’s World Cup squad.
Dellavedova joins fellow guard and NBL talent Will McDowell-White as the two players cut from the roster for this month’s Cup campaign.
It means the Boomers only have to cut one more player after next week’s warm-up games against Venezuela, Brazil and South Sudan to finalise the 12-man squad.
Dellavedova’s departure from the national team was predicted, but it brings down the curtain on a memorable international career.
The 32-year-old is a two-time FIBA World Cup representative, a mainstay of the Boomers program and an integral leader.
Dellavedova was a member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medal winning team and captain of the qualifying window in Melbourne last June at John Cain Arena in front of a home crowd.
The veteran guard has signed a two-year deal to return to Melbourne United where he previously had a season before a one-season NBA stint with the Sacramento Kings.The Paris Olympics is next year, but given the Boomers have already decided to blood rising stars like Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, it appears doubtful that the man nicknamed ‘Delly’ will don the green and gold at the 2024 Games.
Despite being forewarned he would not make the Australian squad, Dellavedova entered the camp on a mission, shedding eight kilos and looking a leaner, meaner version of himself.
The Boomers’ decision is a huge gain for United, who will now benefit from a full pre-season of a man on a mission in his return to the NBL.
Meanwhile, the Boomers have copped a blow with NBA big man and likely starting centre Jock Landale rolling his ankle at training.
Let’s go @MelbUnited !! https://t.co/Rh2pwHHRkZ
— Matthew Dellavedova (@matthewdelly) July 17, 2023
Basketball Australia announced Landale will miss the much-anticipated warm-up games in Melbourne but is expected to make a full recovery for the World Cup.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Boomers defeated the University of Houston 99-65 in their final World Cup scrimmage game in Cairns.
Australian veteran Patty Mills believes the clash against Houston was the perfect preparation for Australia’s World Cup campaign.
Mills says his teammates are locked in and determined to build on the bronze medal winning success from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
“This is a special environment we’ve created here and being able to come together and be in each other’s company off the court is special, it’s a bond that’s hard to explain,” Mills said.
“Then stepping on the court, that camaraderie, that gel, that brotherhood in a sense and what it means to be a Boomer comes into fruition.
“It’s all about preparing us, so we appreciate Houston coming in and having a scrimmage against us, but we’re focused on what we’re trying to do, and how we can do to get better to give this a good, hard crack at the World Cup.
“Excited to get this thing under way when we get to Melbourne for a few exhibition games looking forward to it.”
Mills is embracing the challenge of a pool at this year’s World Cup, featuring Finland, Germany and co-host nation Japan.
“But it’s a World Cup, any team you come up against in this tournament will be tough, but it’s good for us to have tough pool games,” he said.
“It’s a world cup, it’s the world stage – if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, and that’s what we want to do.”
Boomers World Cup warm-up matches in Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena: (All games live on Kayo)
Monday 14 August:
Australia v Venezuela – 7:45 PM
Wednesday 16 August:
Australia v Brazil – 7:45 PM
Thursday 17 August:
Australia v South Sudan – 7:45 PM
Big name omitted as Boomers make first World Cup cuts
Big men Thon Maker, Keanu Pinder and Sam Froling have been cut from the Australian Boomers’ World Cup squad ahead of warm-up games in Melbourne.
Preparations for this month’s Cup campaign ramped up on Sunday when the Australians held a scrimmage to reduce the squad from 18 to 15.
Maker (Chinese league), Pinder (Perth, NBL) and Froling (Illawarra, NBL) are the first players to go as the Boomers prepare for three games against Venezuela, Brazil and South Sudan.
Coach Brian Goorjian must now cut an NBA-loaded squad of 15 down to 12 players after next week’s warm-up clashes.
The Boomers will conduct a scrimmage versus the University of Houston in Cairns on Wednesday before flying to Melbourne.
Maker, who recently played in China, is the biggest name sliced from the squad given his 279 NBA games and previous appearances for the national team.
However, he hasn’t produced his best in recent seasons and last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021.
Three centres being cut leaves ex-Illawarra Hawk Duop Reath as the favourite to back up Australia‘s starting big man Jock Landale at the World Cup.
Goorjian was full of praise for each squad member and has reiterated that this is the hardest selection in his time as Boomers head coach.
“This is an elite squad with so much talent, there is no easy way to make cuts, but the reality is that we only get to take 12 into Okinawa,” Goorjian said.
“Would I take all of these players if I could? Absolutely, but that’s the hardest part of sport, you have to make the cuts, we have to keep moving forward.
“I have the utmost respect for Sam, Thon and Keanu and their contribution here in Cairns, their work rate has been exceptional. On and off the court they have demonstrated the highest level of professionalism.
“They are the best in the field for a reason and of course I’m disappointed that they can’t come through with us, but they all respect the process and came into the camp understanding what we are all here to achieve.”
Most people probably expected Froling, Pinder & Thon Maker would not make the #FIBAWC cut - but the next 3 is much tougher 💯🇦🇺ðŸ€ðŸ¤” pic.twitter.com/avcquJzJeX
— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) August 6, 2023
Boomers veteran Joe Ingles knows he is nearing the end of a stellar international career, so he is determined to leave a legacy for the next generation.
Ingles is a certain starter for the World Cup – and also hasn’t ruled out a swan song at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“I’m not going to be here forever, it’s about Patty and I and this older group giving what we’ve learned from the Matt Nielsens and the world before us,” Ingles said on Sunday.
“We’ve got to do everything we can to set this up for the future. The talent is there.
“It’s us giving what we’ve learned, how we got that bronze medal, how we want to get a gold medal, and just keep building until we achieve that goal.”
NBA sensation Josh Giddey is one player set to lead the Boomers for at least the next decade.
Giddey relished the chance to compete against a star-studded Boomers squad in Sunday’s scrimmage.
“It was tough,” Giddey said.
“These practices, these environments are always competitive, and when guys put on the green and gold on, it’s a very healthy competition.
“Guys are going at it. Guys are trying to make the squad to go to represent the country at the World Cup. It was a high level, it was very competitive, and today was our first proper scrimmage and game-like situation against each other and guys competed hard. It was a great hitout.”
The Boomers play Venezuela, Brazil and South Sudan in World Cup warm-up games at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena from August 14 to 17.
Australia opens its Cup campaign in Japan against Finland on August 25.
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