Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes and Matthew Dellavedova headline Australia’s star-studded extended squad for the Fiba World Cup campaign. Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis has picked nine Australian NBA players, with Andrew Bogut, Jonah Bolden, Deng Adel and Mitch Creek rounding out the list.
It is arguably the strongest Boomers squad in history as they prepare to chase a maiden international medal in China.
Injured Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum was unavailable along with fellow NBA players Thon Maker and Ryan Broekhoff. Maker withdrew from the selection process as his Detroit Pistons preferred him to concentrate on his development in their off-season, while Broekhoff opted to remain in Australia awaiting the birth of his first child.
The trio’s absence left plenty of room for those plying their trade on home soil. Brisbane duo Nathan Sobey and Cameron Gliddon, Melbourne’s Chris Goulding, Perth’s Nicholas Kay and Illawarra’s Todd Blanchfield were among the NBL players to make the cut.
European-based players Brock Motum (Turkey) and Jock Landale (Serbia) were also included. The 17-man squad will play four warm-up games prior to the World Cup – against Canada in Perth on 16 and 17 August and USA in Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on 22 and 24 August.
It will then be trimmed to 12 players for the World Cup in China, which starts in August.
Australia squad: Deng Adel, Aron Baynes, Todd Blanchfield, Andrew Bogut, Jonah Bolden, Mitch Creek, Matthew Dellavedova, Cameron Gliddon, Chris Goulding, Joe Ingles, Nicholas Kay, Jock Landale, Mitch McCarron, Patty Mills, Brock Motum, Ben Simmons, Nathan Sobey.
