SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Veteran National Basketball Association (NBA) stars Patty Mills and Joe Ingles headlined an extended men’s Australian basketball squad named for the Paris Olympics as the Boomers aim to better their bronze medal from Tokyo.
Miami Heat guard Mills and Orlando Magic forward Ingles were among 10 NBA players in the 22-man line-up, which will be whittled down to 12 closer to the Olympics, which start in July.
Coach Brian Goorjian also included a host of young players led by wing Johnny Furphy after his impressive college season at Kansas saw him rocket up the NBA draft boards.
Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons was a key omission after being forced out with a back injury.
Goorjian, who will lead the team at a fourth Olympics, said he was confident he had the right mix of youth and experience.
“We’ve been actively monitoring the Aussie players across international leagues in USA, Europe and Asia as well as domestically in the NBL and we’re confident in the potential chemistry of this list,” he said.
“The complexity of international tournaments like the Olympics is that you have a relatively short window to train and prepare — so you have to identify and implement a style (that) works fast and amplifies the collective skill set.”
Australia lost to the dominant United States in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but overcame Slovenia in the third-place playoff.
Ten players from the team remain, including Mills, Ingles and fellow NBA stalwarts Matisse Thybulle of the Portland Trail Blazers, Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dante Exum of the Dallas Mavericks, Jock Landale of the Houston Rockets and Duop Reath of the Blazers.
Australia had been drawn in Group A in Paris where they will face Canada and two qualifying tournament winners, which could include powerhouse Spain and Slovenia.
Despite already being referred to as the “Group of Death,” Goorjian said it only added motivation.
“The consensus is that the tournament will be at an unseen level with the talent and international NBA star-power across the teams,” he said.
“I will emphasize and instill with the group that we’re not aiming to match or replicate the style of game heading our way from other nations. Our goal is to beat them.”
Australia provisional Olympic squad also include Chris Goulding, Nick Kay, Johnny Furphy, DJ Vasilijevic, Sam Froling, Rocco Zikarsky, Will Magnay, Dyson Daniels, Josh Green, Will McDowell-White, Jack McVeigh, Keanu Pinder, Xavier Cooks, Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova.
