The Australian Boomers 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign didn't exactly go to plan after coming in as one of the favourites to finish on the podium.
With a strong mix of veterans and young players, the Aussies fielded one of their most talented teams at a major international tournament, with nine NBA players on the roster, but that wasn't enough to get them out of the group phase — a finish well below their expectations coming in.
MORE: What went wrong for the Boomers at the FIBA World Cup?
"As this group came in, I did think we had a chance to win a medal, so that is gonna be a goal," head coach Brian Goorjian said.
"I also knew, with change, with inexperience - style of play, playing together - was a process that was gonna take some time. It's major pieces, guys with the ball in their hands."
Despite the disappointing exit, the Boomers must now regroup and look towards the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where they'll look to follow up their bronze medal finish in Tokyo and return to the top tier of international basketball.
Following their exit, Goorjian left no doubt that he will continue to lead the Boomers, telling reporters he is "100 percent" returning to coach for their Olympic campaign, as is veteran Joe Ingles, who echoed Goorjian's sentiments.
“We’ll continue to build off this and then whatever it is now, nine, ten months time, we’ll be ready to go in Paris.”
While they left Japan in disappointing fashion, one of the bright spots of the tournament was the emergence of Josh Giddey in the national team setup, taking the reigns of the Boomers' offence in his tournament debut.
The 20-year-old blossomed as the tournament went on, finishing as the youngest player to lead the Boomers in scoring at a World Cup, finishing with 97 total points and averages of 20.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds.
Leading the transition between generations, Giddey himself acknowledged the new-look group didn't have enough reps on the court together before the tournament, but the building blocks for next year are right there.
"I think the more we play together, practice together, have camp, the better the chemistry's going to get, Giddey said.
"I think that's one of the problems with the World Cup I think that hurt us is that we hadn't played a whole lot together, which was evident out on the floor.
"As long as we keep training and playing together the better we're going to be. The Olympics is in ten months so we've got to turn the page and get ready for that."
With Giddey's emergence as the team's offensive focal point, the 2023 World Cup almost felt like a ceremonial handing over of the baton from the Boomers' longtime saviour in Patty Mills.
"I love it. it's been fun," Patty Mills said of playing alongside Giddey. "Being able to make cuts and make reads, knowing that you only need a wink or a blink... they're the things that take me back to San Antonio days, with Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Timmy as well."
Who should the Boomers take to the Paris Olympics?
Guards: Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Patty Mills, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Dejan Vasiljevic, Ben Simmons
Giddey and Mills will likely remain as the Boomers' starting backcourt for Paris, while Dante Exum and Josh Green showed their value at the World Cup as two-way guards, who can create havoc in transition and speed up the offence with their energy at the defensive end.
Dyson Daniels will have another year of NBA experience under his belt and after his first taste of a senior international tournament, look for him to have an increased role off the bench in Paris.
The big question mark that has seemingly forever loomed over the Boomers is the presence of Ben Simmons, who has come close to pulling on the green and gold on several occasions, recently telling Marc J. Spears of Andscape that now that he's back healthy, he has Paris in his sights.
"Olympics? Yeah, 100%. And that’s what I want to do next year," Simmons said.
His defensive presence alone would provide a huge boost for the Boomers, with his versatility allowing him to lock up elite perimeter players, while his 6-10 frame gives the Aussies another big body in the paint — something that was sorely missed at the World Cup with their undersized lineups.
Another key issue the Boomers faced at the World Cup was their lack of floor-spacing and reliable threats from the 3-point line, connecting on 37.0 percent from beyond the arc, ranking 11th in the tournament.
Outside of Mills, Chris Goulding is the Boomers' best option from deep, however, the 34-year-old was limited to just 10 minutes across five games, largely in garbage time, where he went 0-of-5 from deep.
Hardly a real sample size, but Goulding's lack of court time does raise the question of whether he'll be on the plane to Paris next year, leaving a potential hole in the shooting department.
An outside shot to take that spot is former Sydney Kings guard Dejan Vasiljevic, who can spread the floor with his 3-point shooting, while also providing some additional playmaking.
Forwards: Joe Ingles, Matisse Thybulle, Xavier Cooks
After exploding as one of the Boomers' breakout stars in Tokyo, Matisse Thybulle struggled to have the same impact at the World Cup, losing his starting spot on the wing to Josh Green, but the 26-year-old remains as one of the Boomers' best perimeter defensive weapons.
Despite his lack of offensive production at the World Cup, Thybulle's ability to turn defence into offence is a hallmark of what makes the Boomers tick. I can't see him not on the plane to Paris.
Meanwhile, Xavier Cooks is a lock in my opinion as he emerged as the Boomers' x-factor, especially in smaller lineups his with his athleticism and energy off the bench routinely changing the tempo of games.
With a full season of NBA experience coming up with the Washington Wizards, expect Cooks to only improve heading into the 2024 Olympics.
Outside of Mills, Joe Ingles has been a staple of the Australian national team, with Paris likely to be his farewell international tournament for the Boomers.
"You're going to have to kill me before you get me out of here," he said in his press conference following their win over Georgia.
At 35 years old, Ingles' best days are behind him, but his basketball IQ and leadership are imperative to this Boomers squad.
Centers: Duop Reath, Jock Landale
Landale's absence from the Boomers World Cup roster on the eve of the tournament due to an ankle injury certainly threw a spanner in the works for the Aussies, who were forced into more small-ball lineups without their starting big man.
The Boomers were one of the worst rebounding teams at the World Cup, ranking 20th on the glass (36.2 boards per game) and the return of Landale will certainly go a long way to fixing that.
While Reath had his moments at the World Cup and possesses a big body around the rim and in the pick-and-roll, Landale's ability to hunt offensive rebounds and space the floor as a pick-and-pop threat gives the Boomers a much-improved balance in the frontcourt.
Expect the big-man tandem to be back and firing for the Olympics.
Sleepers
This is where things get interesting.
Tyrese Proctor: Proctor would be a wildcard selection for Paris, with the 19-year-old set to declare for the NBA Draft next summer following his sophomore season at Duke.
With Australia loaded at the guard position, it's hard to see Proctor breaking into the squad, but he's certainly one to watch for the future.
Jack White: White was sparingly used at the World Cup, with his only real impact coming in their opening win over Finland.
Coming into the team as Landale's replacement, White will likely be on the cusp again for the Olympics, offering the Boomers defence and shooting in their small-ball lineups
Thon Maker: Maker was a part of the Boomers' 18-man squad ahead of the World Cup. With the Aussie's lack of size, he could be an option they turn to in the hopes of solidifying their frontcourt.
Rocco Zikarsky: The Boomers' lack of size could well be addressed by the 7-3 center, who is set to play his first season of professional basketball with the Brisbane Bullets as an NBL Next Star.
He is probably still some ways away from cracking the senior national team, but with a full NBL season under his belt by the time the Olympics comes around, he's one to watch.
Projected 12-man Australian Boomers Olympic roster
| Player | Age | Height/Weight | Position | Team |
| Patty Mills | 34 | 6-0, 180 lbs. | G | Hawks |
| Josh Giddey | 20 | 6-8, 216 lbs. | G | Thunder |
| Dyson Daniels | 20 | 6-7, 199 lbs. | G | Pelicans |
| Dante Exum | 28 | 6-5, 214 lbs. | G | Mavericks |
| Josh Green | 22 | 6-7, 200 lbs. | G | Mavericks |
| Dejan Vasiljevic | 26 | 6-3, 194 lbs | G | Wizards |
| Ben Simmons | 27 | 6-10, 240 lbs | G/F | Nets |
| Matisse Thybulle | 26 | 6-5, 201 lbs. | F | Trail Blazers |
| Joe Ingles | 35 | 6-8, 220 lbs. | F | Magic |
| Xavier Cooks | 27 | 6-8, 183 lbs. | F | Wizards |
| Jock Landale | 27 | 6-11, 255 lbs | C | Rockets |
| Duop Reath | 27 | 6-11, 245 lbs. | C | Al Riyadi Beirut |
