The Australian men’s basketball team will compete at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a 12-player strong squad that is comprised of top-tier players from the National Basketball League.
These players, eight of which won bronze medals during their Tokyo 2020 Olympic campaign, will compete against 11 other nations including Canada, France, Germany, and the United States of America.
How does the men’s basketball Olympic tournament work?
The men’s Olympic basketball tournament will see the 12 teams split into three groups, with four teams in each group. This year, the Boomers have been drawn in Pool A and will play against Canada, Greece, and Spain.
Group B consists of France, Germany, Japan, and Brazil while Group C consists of Serbia, South Sudan, Puerto Rico, and reigning Olympic champions the USA.
At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. The two best third-place teams from all four groups will also progress, while all remaining teams are eliminated.
From there, knockout rounds will occur where teams will be randomly pitted against each other. Teams from the same groups cannot be drawn against each other, however.
Winners then progress to the semi-final. The two teams that secure victory in those games will advance to the gold medal game while the losers will go head-to-head for the bronze medal.
The group phases will take place at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille while the knockout rounds will be played at the Bercy Arena in Paris.
Who is in the Boomers Olympic Squad?
On July 7th, the Australian Olympic Team’s Chef de Mission Anna Meares confirmed which members of the Australian men’s basketball team would form the 12-member Olympic squad for the men’s basketball tournament.
Patty Mills will captain the team and is taking to the court for his fifth Olympic games alongside teammate Joe Ingles.
Point Guard Matthew Dellavedova will also make his fourth appearance with Dante Exum, Josh Green, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, and Duop Reath returning for their second.
Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Will Magney, and Jack McVeigh will all make their Olympic debuts.
Head Coach Brian Goorjian said the team was “really excited” to compete on the global stage once more.
“The consensus is that the tournament will be at an unseen level with the talent and international NBA star-power across the teams.
“I will emphasise and instill with the group that we’re not aiming to match or replicate the style of [the] game heading our way from other nations. Our goal is to beat them,” he added.
“We’re going to play Aussie ball. And we’re going to go at them with all we’ve got.”
Want more Olympic content? Check out the articles below:
- All the Aussies who have qualified to compete at the Paris Olympics
- On ya ‘Straya! Australia’s best moments at the Olympics over the years
- From Tonya Harding to Russia’s doping scheme, here are the biggest Olympic scandals over the years
- Paris Olympics: Quick guide to which events are worth watching
- How and where to celebrate the Paris Olympics in Melbourne
- How and where to celebrate the Paris Olympics in Sydney
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