Brian Goorjian has announced his Tokyo Olympics squad to take on the world and win our Boomers their very first medal!

Patty Mills leads the very strong squad of 12 who will be looking to medal for the first time in Boomers history, and with a group that’s been together for a few campaigns now, this is by far their best chance of doing so!

 

Mills joins Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Chris Goulding, Josh Green, Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Nathan Sobey and Matisse Thybulle on the flight to Tokyo.

This squad is stacked with talent and a number of game breakers who will look to make their mark on the Olympic stage!

 

One name omitted that plenty of Australian Basketball fans were keen to see make the squad is Josh Giddey, a soon to be NBA Lottery pick (potential Top 10 Pick).

It must have been an extremely tough call for Goorjian to leave him off the final squad, but with the season Nathan Sobey had (as well as age being well and truly on Giddey’s side), the right call was made.

Sobey gives them a spark off the bench, as well as fellow NBL Sharp Shooter Chris Goulding, who could be used in small doses to break a game open for the boys.

 

Dante Exum making the team is a story of perseverance.

Dante has been struck down with injury season after season, and he deserves a great campaign to show he still has what it takes at the top level!

Dante could be used well with Patty if we really wanted to push the ball down the court, knowing Delly is more of a controlled/poised Point, it gives us a different look and keeps opposing teams on their toes!

 

Matisse Thybulle makes his boomers debut, and great to see he didn’t pull the pin on the Olympics after a tough finish to the season with Philadelphia.

Matisse gives us an ELITE defender, and his energy at that end of the floor is sure to benefit some of our weapons at the other end of the floor, mainly the likes of Mills and Ingles.

 

Another team mate/former team mate of Ben Simmons also makes his first appearance in the green and gold on the Olympic stage, with Duop Reath getting the call up.

Reath will be a much needed bigger body in a fairly small/mobile squad, and with the loss of Andrew Bogut, Reath will slot right into that role when we play some of the bigger boys from Europe.

 

Landale and Kay also make their first Olympic team, and both bring similar qualities to the forefront.

Both bigs are deadly from the mid-range, and can step out and shoot the 3 ball.

Landale will be looking to stake his claim with a few big games, and look to get his foot in the door on an NBA Roster.

Playing with a bigger body in Baynes can only open things up for him on the offensive end of the floor.

 

Finally, Josh Green makes his way into the team for his first run in the green and gold, and will be one to watch for future Olympic campaigns.

Here’s hoping Luka has taught him a thing or two to use in Tokyo!

 

Patty will look to have this team ready and raring to go, and I speak for all Australian Basketball fans here, we are VERY VERY EXCITED!!

 

Go get a medal boys, we are all behind you!

 

Bauky