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The Australian Boomers have announced a star studded squad for this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo, young gun Josh Giddey's rise to stardom recognised as the 18 year old was named alongside household names Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles and Patrick Mills.
Simmons, the NBA All-Star who's yet to play for the Boomers in a major international tournament was among the nine NBA players announced by Basketball Australia on Wednesday as part of the 24-man squad.
Simmons, the NBA All-Star who's yet to play for the Boomers in a major international tournament, was among the nine NBA players announced by Basketball Australia on Wednesday as part of the 24-man squad.
Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers), and Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), who have been the core of the Boomers over the last two major tournaments. Danté Exum (Houston Rockets), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks), Ryan Broekhoff (free agent), Thon Maker (free agent), Will Magnay (New Orleans Pelicans), and Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia 76ers) round out the current or recent NBA talent on the squad.
Green, a rookie out of Sydney, will be looking to make his debut with the Boomers, while this is the first time Thybulle -- a dual citizen of Australia and the US -- has officially been named to any Australian national squad.
"We are both excited to again be named in the Australian Boomers squad and we are determined to lead this group of both veteran experience and exciting younger talent to an elusive Olympic medal," Mills and Ingles said in a joint statement.
Simmons added: "It would be an amazing honour to play for my country. I know things are uncertain right now but I've been in touch with Coach Goorjian and we're hopeful I can join the Boomers."
After 2016's extended Olympic squad featured a host of veteran players selected to complement the Boomers' core pieces, Goorjian seemingly went in the opposite direction in 2021 by naming Josh Giddey to his group. The 18-year-old point guard has put together an impressive start to the NBL season, with his NBA Draft stock continuing to rise.
Giddey is among a host of NBL talent included, with Mitch Creek, Xavier Cooks, Deng Adel, Chris Goulding, Isaac Humphries, Jock Landale, Mitch McCarron, and Mitch Norton among the players competing locally who were named to the extended squad.
Nick Kay, William McDowell-White, Brock Motum, and Duop Reath are the Australians playing abroad who were selected to the squad.
Motum was a member of the Boomers at the 2016 Olympics, while Kay came off the bench for the team at the 2019 World Cup.
"It is a well-balanced squad selected by position with a nice blend of experience, coupled with a lot of new and exciting players coming through," Goorjian said.
"These are our top 24 available players and included is significant representation from the NBL, showing the strength of our local league where the standard of competition is recognised worldwide.
"I have spoken to each player over the past fortnight and have been extremely impressed, to a man, by their overwhelming desire to play for Australia in Tokyo."
Basketball Australia also announced Goorjian's coaching staff for the Tokyo Olympics, with former Boomer Matt Nielsen (Austin Spurs) joining as head assistant coach, while David Patrick (University of Arkansas) and Adam Caporn (Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence) will retain their respective positions as assistant coaches for the team.
IMAGE: The Roar.