The Australian Olympic Committee has announced the 12-strong Australian Olympic Basketball Team for Tokyo, featuring two four-time Olympians Patty Mills and Joe Ingles and seven Olympic debutants.
Mills and Ingles fourth Olympics is behind only Andrew Gaze’s five Games for an Australian basketballer, while Matthew Dellavedova and Aron Baynes return for their third Games and Chris Goulding makes his second Olympic Team.
Olympic debutants Dante Exum, Joshua Green, Nick
Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Nathan Sobey and Matisse Thybulle complete the squad which is bursting with international experience.
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THE TEAM WILL NOW HEAD INTO THEIR LAS VEGAS CAMP WHERE THEY WILL BE JOINED BY THE AUSTRALIAN OPALS, ADDITIONAL OVERLAY AND VISION WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
The Boomers will launch their campaign for their first Olympic medal against Nigeria on 25 July, with their two remaining pool opponents to be confirmed at the final Olympic Qualifying tournaments currently being played in Europe.
Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo Ian Chesterman congratulated the basketballers on their selection.
“It’s fantastic to announce these 12 athletes to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo,” Chesterman said. “The Boomers bring such an incredible spirit that inspires the whole Australian Team and I look forward to seeing the Boomers bring that energy to Tokyo.
“These athletes have all shown incredible commitment to the green and gold, are a great mix of those making their Olympic debut with some real veterans and I know their desire to take that Olympic court in Tokyo is immense.
“Today is a day to celebrate for the players, as well as their families, friends, clubs and teammates who have helped them become the players they are today.
“There will be millions of Australians cheering on from back home, who share the passion of the Boomers in their quest to win a medal in Tokyo.”
Triple Olympian Aron Baynes said the team was driven to achieve that elusive international medal.
“Unfinished business is in the forefront of all our minds,” Baynes said. “We’re all excited to get out there and chase that gold medal.
“There’s so much young talent coming through in Australian basketball that we’re excited to incorporate into the Boomers system and hopefully lets us take that next step. When we can mix that and incorporate that team chemistry quickly, that will be key to our success.
“It’s the highest honour for us playing basketball to get to play with our mates who have all grown up together and are second family now. We just want to carry that over and instil it in the young guys.
On the challenges of the past 18 months, Baynes said the goal hadn’t changed.
“You gotta roll with the punches. We were ready last year, but everyone’s in the same boat. We’re excited that the opportunity is here now.”
Matisse Thybulle will make his Olympic debut, off the back of a successful season with Philadelphia which saw the 24-year-old named to the NBA All-Defensive second team.
“As a kid you see the [Olympic] stage and how big it is, for me I couldn’t even imagine myself having the opportunity to be there,” Thybulle said. “Now this is real and becoming even more real as each day goes by, it’s a special opportunity and I want to experience all of it.
Thybulle said playing and growing together was key to the Boomers’ hopes in Tokyo.
“It’s going to take buying in to being together. What I love about that is that is not going to be a hard thing for this team to do, with how passionate we are and the reality of how capable we are to do it.
“It’s one thing to have a goal but it’s another to actually be able to achieve it, and have it be laid out in front of you and set up for you to go do it. The more cohesive we become as a unit the better we’re going to be, we have the talent it’s just a matter of doing it together.”
Head Coach Brian Goorjian, Australian Olympic coach in 2004 and 2008, paid tribute to the impact of the veteran experience on the squad.
“I’m really excited, we’ve got some nice youth coming into the team, and a good balance,” Goorjian said.
“It's very clear what the goal is. It’s not driven from me, I’ve walked into it and it’s hit me in the face. That leadership group want a gold medal and if they don’t get it they’ll be disappointed. My job is to come in here and do everything I can to help them complete the vision.
“It’s huge having that experience. I’m in a unique situation where I was part of the Boomers in Beijing with Patty and Joe to come back close to 12 years later and see what the culture has become – the first two days of practice I just took it all in. Where it’s gone in that time, through that leadership group with Delly, Baynes, Joe and Patty has been amazing to see.
“Now you’ve got seven debutants coming in, the culture is unique and you can’t continue without that main group touching you. Being part of this culture, not only for this Olympics is it important, but for the future of Australian basketball, where you’re not starting from square one. So those guys being in this group is really going to help not only for Tokyo but beyond.”
Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo – Basketball
Name | Age | Olympic Games | Aus Hometown | State | Postcode |
Aron Baynes | 34 | 3rd (2012, 2016) | Redlynch | QLD | 4870 |
Matthew Dellavedova | 30 | 3rd (2012, 2016) | Maryborough | VIC | 3465 |
Dante Exum | 25 | Debut | East Melbourne | VIC | 3002 |
Christopher Goulding | 32 | 2nd (2016) | Brisbane | QLD | 4000 |
Joshua Green | 20 | Debut | Sydney | NSW | 2000 |
Joseph Ingles | 33 | 4th (2008, 2012, 2016) | Adelaide | SA | 5000 |
Nicholas Kay | 28 | Debut | Tamworth | NSW | 2340 |
Jock Landale | 25 | Debut | Malvern East | VIC | 3145 |
Patrick Mills | 32 | 4th (2008, 2012, 2016) | Canberra | ACT | 2600 |
Duop Reath | 25 | Debut | Ellenbrook | WA | 6069 |
Nathan Sobey | 30 | Debut | Warrnambool | VIC | 3280 |
Matisse Thybulle | 24 | Debut | Sydney | NSW | 2000 |
The Basketball competition will run from 25 July – 9 August at the Saitama Super Arena. Find out more about Basketball at the Olympics in the infographic below.
Today’s announcement takes the number of athletes selected to 437 of an expected 470 team size. Catch all the latest team info, stats and athlete bios at www.olympics.com.au/games/
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