Jack McVeigh is supposed to be on his honeymoon.
He got married a week ago. The plan was then for him and his partner Beth to fly to Bali with a group of friends to continue the celebrations.
There was just one problem: McVeigh got invited to the Australian Boomers’ selection camp for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which practically fell on the exact same dates. It’s an opportunity that presents itself only so often — granted, so is a honeymoon — but he decided to make the tough call. While Beth and their closest friends are enjoying the Bali sun, McVeigh is in the Melbourne cold, competing for a spot on the Olympic team.
“They’re having the best time ever,” McVeigh told ESPN. “Hopefully I can drag Beth to Paris.”
The Boomers have completed two official days of camp, and, when speaking to people around the program, McVeigh’s name comes up a lot. Going into camp, he was probably seen as a fringe contender to make the final team, but now there’s a lot of ‘do you know who’s been great? McVeigh’ or ‘Jack may make the coaching staff make a tough decision’.
That sentiment was on show during Saturday’s live action. McVeigh looked like the player we saw all season with the Tasmania JackJumpers — he’s, of course, the reigning NBL Championship Series MVP — coming off curls and finishing around the paint, or popping for threes at the top of the key, and even playing at the three and attacking off hand-offs.
“It’s my first time playing basketball at this level, so you’re always a little nervous; then, you get on the floor and realise quickly that you belong,” McVeigh said after Saturday’s day of camp.
“This is where I’m meant to be, this is the type of hoops I’m meant to be playing. Just learning, studying. I’ve got a magnifying glass on guys like Patty [Mills] and Joe [Ingles], and learning as much as I can. And then going out there and doing what I do, which is playing hard and getting buckets.
“I just back what I do. We train so hard in Tassie. We work on our craft. I feel like this is the moment I’ve been preparing for. This is my chance to take that next step as a basketball player. I feel ready. When I walk out there, I feel like I belong. I’m confident.
“The big thing I learned when I failed in college was that I tried to mould into what I thought people wanted me to be. Right now, I’m gonna be Jack McVeigh. I’m gonna step out on that court and I’m gonna try and score that ball.”
McVeigh’s ability to score the ball at all three levels, and in a variety of ways, is his swing skill compared to those he’s ostensibly competing with for a spot on the final team.
After the Boomers’ early exit from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, there were a few things the coaching staff determined were missing. Of course, things like size and defensive versatility were toward the top of that list, but so was shooting. When it comes to the players within the 17-man squad who are either just inside the bubble or right on the outside of it, McVeigh is probably at the top of the list when it comes to shooting and scoring.
“He’s making a strong case for himself,” Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian told ESPN.
“He’s scoring a ton. Xavier Cooks was really good today. Nick Kay. Joe Ingles. Jack White. I think a lot of people saw McVeigh as one of the lower guys; no, he’s right there. What he does in that group is elite.
“What this comes down to is, hopefully we have enough time to assemble a style of play, and you look at those five guys and decide what’s most needed for our group. Is it scoring? Is it versatility defensively? Is it experience and decision-making? All of them have something they’re elite at.”
Through the few days the group has had together, Goorjian still isn’t completely sure what he’ll need from those spots. Josh Giddey only recently landed back in Melbourne from a short trip to Chicago, while Josh Green has been limited in camp after just competing in the NBA Finals; the same goes for Danté Exum, who only just arrived in Australia and hasn’t hit the floor yet. The primary group within this Boomers team hasn’t had any meaningful time on the floor together in camp, so Goorjian is still waiting to see how they look together, before he determines what sorts of pieces they need to be surrounded with.
“How we play together and what’s important still isn’t clear, but Jack’s made a case,” Goorjian said. “He’s scoring the ball. He’s shooting the s— out of it. He’s an elite basketball player, he’s an international player, and he’s in the mix.”
McVeigh only recently emerged as part of the conversation to be in this Boomers squad, following a breakout season with the JackJumpers. Over his three seasons with the NBL’s newest team, the 6’8 forward grew from being a role player to, ultimately, a superstar in the league, capped off by winning the 2024 championship.
On the Boomers, McVeigh would naturally revert to being a role player again, and he’s confident his basketball experiences over the past few years has adequately prepared him to do that effectively.
“The biggest thing about being ‘the guy’ on a team, is that you get so many reps,” McVeigh said.
“That’s what people don’t realise. Your trajectory of improvement goes through the roof when you’re in games, playing 32 minutes a game, getting 50 reps. Then, you’re watching film on those reps… Then, when you come out here and do what you do, it’s the same thing you’re doing; you’re just doing it less often. I’m still sprinting into screens, and I’m still coming off handoffs, hunting my shot, posting up. I’m still doing the same things. It just doesn’t happen as often.
“This is my first time in a Boomers camp, so it’s about knowing when to pick my moments; when to speak, when to cheer. I don’t wanna step on toes. I’m listening and understanding how things work.
“But, on court is on court. You’re playing hard, you’re bringing energy, you’re hyping your teammates up, and I think that’s what, at the highest level, helps win games.”
McVeigh’s ideal outcome is, of course, to make the final 12-man team for Paris. We’ll all have to wait and see whether he keeps performing at the level in camp to be considered, and if his skillset is the most desirable one for Goorjian and his coaching staff.
At the very least, though, he’s been performing at a level where, regardless of whether he makes the team or not, missing his honeymoon shouldn’t come in vain.