Ask anyone around the program, and there’s been a consistent theme from the first two official days of Australian Boomers camp.
Everything has been ultra-physical, unbelievably competitive, with all involved acutely aware of the stakes at play.
“We’re so excited that we’re playing at 1000 miles per hour,” Matisse Thybulle told ESPN. “Everyone’s heads are spinning and we’re fouling the hell out of each other, and just super physical.”
The 2024 Paris Olympics are less than a month away, but the Boomers’ squad has been active for some time. There was a drop-in camp in Los Angeles in early June, some optional-but-not-really-optional practices and scrimmages in the week leading into the official start of the campaign, which began on Friday.
It’s a squad of 17, competing for their national team lives. They’ll all be involved in a pair of exhibition games against China at Melbourne’s John Cairns Arena on July 2 and 4, before the group gets cut down to 12 ahead of the next phase of Olympic preparation.
The squad is talented, and the feel is that there are more spots up for grabs than first thought. That’s led to a heightened level of competitiveness, led by head coach Brian Goorjian, who’s had all eyes on the Olympics since the Boomers’ early exit from the FIBA World Cup nine months ago.
“Goorj will be the first to admit that he’s juiced up for this,” Chris Goulding told ESPN.
“For the first time in however many decades, he didn’t have a club team to coach throughout the year. His sole focus has been this, and trying to to figure out how we can be better. He’s been straightforward with us… they’re hammering home the defensive side of the ball, and we’ve definitely seen that in practice.”
Saturday’s scrimmage was as advertised. The defence was high-octane and largely on a string, the talking at each other was loud and elevated, and it’s hard not to look past any time two players who are ostensibly fighting for the same spot get matched up on each other and a duel ensues.
In one scrimmage, Josh Giddey threw one of his patented inbounds passes to give his team a lead, only for Jack McVeigh – widely regarded as someone who’s maybe helped himself the most thus far in camp – to cut to the basket off a set play for the game-winner. In another scrimmage, Joe Ingles unapologetically earned a technical foul for his usual trash talk.
“It’s been really competitive,” Goorjian told ESPN.
“I think there’s an element of wanting to be way better on the defensive end, and I think there’s an element of nervousness about making the squad. Last time, I felt like, within the 17, there was a lot of ‘thank you for letting me be here’. This is, everyone looking over their shoulders: ‘you see that, I’m f–kin in’.
“It’s on. It’s competitive.”
It’s all positive signs thus for the Boomers thus far. There’s an admission among the coaching staff that the selection process will be a difficult, brutal one because it’s such a talented group, where the skillsets needed from the ancillary pieces are still being deciphered, and there’s been an increased focus on improving the on-court performance above all else.
Here are some more notes from around the Boomers program as the Paris Olympics edge closer.
Business as usual for new Hawk Dyson Daniels
The Boomers were at breakfast on Saturday morning when Dyson Daniels walked in and told his teammates that he was being traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
The 21-year-old was part of a package that was dealt to the Hawks in exchange for Dejounte Murray, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The national team coaching staff was on the road to practice when the notification pinged that Daniels was on the move.
“We were halfway through the drive and I was like, ‘what did you say? Dyson got traded?'” Goorjian said.
“When he came in, I said congratulations. I do feel, like Josh [Giddey’s] situation, it’s really good for him, because I think he’s got a good opportunity to go there and play. You’ve got Trae Young there; they needed a defensive guard, and there you are. I think he’d be feeling pretty good.”
This trade happened a week after Giddey was dealt to the Bulls. As soon as that deal went through, Giddey was immediately on a flight to Chicago to conduct physicals. It meant leaving Australia as soon as the Boomers entered some pre-camp workouts, and landing back in Melbourne just a day before the official camp began.
“My first thing with Dyson was, f–k, I hope he doesn’t have to go and get a physical,” Goorjian said.
Thankfully, the expectation is that Daniels won’t have to leave the Boomers’ camp.
“It’s business as usual,” Goorjian said.
Future Boomers in town
Along with the extended squad in contention to make the final 12 for Paris, some of Australia’s best young talent has been among the Boomers for the first few days of camp.
Rocco Zikarsky, Alex Toohey, and Ben Henshall have all been among the squad, providing the Boomers with extra bodies for practices and scrimmages.
All three are currently playing in the NBL, and project as members of this main Boomers team at some point in the future.
Legends watching from the sidelines
The Boomers didn’t want to get too complicated with ‘guest coaches’ during this cycle.
It’s something they’ve done in the past – and plenty asked to be involved – but the program’s leadership group instead opted to keep the circle relatively tight, just bringing in former Boomers and some Australian coaches to observe the action from the sidelines.
Andrew Bogut has been around for the first two days, lending an ear to Goorjian, who has a respect for the retired big-man’s perspective. Brad Newley, Adam Gibson, Dave Barlow, Scott Fisher, and Paul Rogers were also sitting around the court watching the action.
A late addition to those in attendance was Damian Cotter, who’s currently an assistant coach with the Bulls; the former Sydney Kings head coach is keeping an eye on Giddey, who was just traded to the Windy City.
Boomers still not at full strength
Some circumstances out of the Boomers’ control is having an effect on Olympic preparations.
The Giddey trade was the first one, but he’s now back in the country and working himself into form.
Danté Exum only just landed in the country after taking some time off after the NBA Finals, so he watched Saturday’s action in street clothes. He had some delayed flights which impacted his ability to join the group in time. The same goes for assistant coach Matt Nielsen, who was supposed to be a practice on Saturday but some travel issues meant he wasn’t able to attend.
Goorjian is also being cautious with Josh Green, who, like Exum, played in Game 5 of the Finals less than two weeks ago, so there’s an awareness of the rest he needs ahead of the Olympics. Green was suited up, but largely watched Saturday’s scrimmages from the sidelines.
“Josh and Dante need time anyway, after the Finals,” Goorjian said.
“So, it’s not a problem. These are long term guys. We need to get through those games, then we have some important practices before Abu Dhabi. We need them for that.”