<\/p>\n
The FIBA World Cup is almost here, with Josh Green telling SEN Radio earlier in the year that the Boomers are ready to take the next step towards becoming a basketball \u201cpowerhouse\u201d.<\/p>\n
But first, the Boomers have five warm-up games before the World Cup itself opens and while Australia\u2019s squad has already been trimmed down to 13 players, one brutal cut still remains. <\/p>\n
The warm-up games give coach Brian Goorjian one final chance to figure out what his starting line-up could look like as well as who is the unlucky final person to miss out.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, foxsports.com.au <\/i>runs through burning questions ahead of the tournament along with everything you need to know before the opening warm-up game against Venezuela.<\/p>\n
FIBA Basketball World Cup | Starts Aug 25. Watch every Boomers, Team USA and Finals game FREE & LIVE on ESPN with Kayo Freebies. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly<\/a> ><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Boomers seeking more medals ahead of WC | 01:18<\/p>\n WHO IS THE FINAL CUT?<\/b><\/p>\n The biggest question everyone wants answered.<\/p>\n At this point, Jack White and Xavier Cooks appear to be the two names being consistently tossed up as the two most likely candidates to be cut from the squad.<\/p>\n Although there may be a late twist, with News Corp<\/a> reporting young guard Dyson Daniels and versatile wing Josh Green could also be at risk of dropping out.<\/p>\n Leaving Green out though would be quite a surprise given his versatility and while his defence has always been a strong point, the 22-year-old could also make some serious noise on the offensive side of the ball at this year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n Green flashed his shooting potential at stages last season for the Mavericks, playing with confidence and aggression in games without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.<\/p>\n He has proven himself capable of stepping up to fill a scoring void when needed and so it is tough to see him missing out. <\/p>\n As for Daniels, again his versatility and standout skills on the defensive end make him a valuable asset even if his offensive game is still a work in progress. <\/p>\n Of course, this Boomers team is stacked at the guard position and Daniels is still just 20 years old so Goorjian may choose to prioritise filling a more glaring team need elsewhere.<\/p>\n But the 20-year-old\u2019s size and length offer the Boomers defensive versatility while his improvement as a playmaker somewhat make up for the inefficient shooting.<\/p>\n Speaking of glaring team needs, a lack of size means Goorjian could opt towards bringing both White and Daniels to the World Cup and sacrificing some depth at guard.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to put out the smallest team we have in a long time,\u201d Australian basketball great Chris Anstey said on SEN Radio<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cNo real genuine five \u2014 Landale can do that really, really well but he\u2019s probably naturally a four man.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we\u2019re going to come up against the much bigger bodies we\u2019re going to need to come up the floor defensively, and our points of difference has to be full court basketball on both ends of the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n Get all the latest basketball news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Otherwise, it seems to be a simple case of weighing up White\u2019s shooting against the playmaking of Cooks. <\/p>\n Shooting is the biggest reason why Chris Goulding is firmly in the frame for selection, coming off a strong NBL season where he averaged 17.1 points and shot 37 per cent from deep.<\/p>\n Former Perth Wildcats Trevor Gleeson described Goulding as a \u201cweapon\u201d on ESPN\u2019s \u2018Ball and the Real World\u2019 podcast<\/a>, backing him in as an automatic pick for the team.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a no-brainer for me to have Chris in the team as that specialised shooter and being a microwave off the bench,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got no question on what his role is. It is to come in and give that scoring punch.\u201d<\/p>\n That is consistent with comments from Goorjian himself to ESPN<\/a>, who said the Boomers \u201cneed guys like Goulding who can shoot the ball\u201d.<\/p>\n Importantly, Goorjian also went to point out how Oklahoma City has surrounded Josh Giddey with catch-and-shoot scorers \u2014 proof he has already given Goulding\u2019s spot in the offence as a whole serious thought.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s one thing you saw with OKC, they put around him guys that can catch and shoot, because he\u2019ll find them,\u201d Goorjian told ESPN.<\/p>\n \u201cI see that as exciting. you\u2019re adding a piece now… that is completely different.\u201d<\/p>\n Whoever ends up being the final player to miss out, there is little doubt this could be one of the most talented Boomers line-ups we have seen in recent memory. <\/p>\n \u201cThe talent we have in Australian basketball is as good as it\u2019s ever been with a mix of the older guys that have been around for 10 to 15 years and then younger guys coming through,\u201d Josh Giddey said earlier in the month.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great combination of both.\u201d<\/p>\n WHAT COULD THE STARTING FIVE LOOK LIKE? <\/b><\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the more obvious ones.<\/p>\n The guard position is relatively straight forward, with Giddey and Patty Mills expected to both be locked in. Jock Landale will also be the starting center provided his ankle complaint doesn\u2019t turn out to be anything serious, while Joe Ingles will likely start at the three.<\/p>\n There could be an argument made though for Ingles starting off the bench given his success running Milwaukee\u2019s second unit last season in the NBA. <\/p>\n So, who could fill the final spot in the starting side? Well, the positional versatility mentioned above extends to plenty of other players in the squad so it\u2019s a hard question to answer.<\/p>\n It gives Goorjian plenty to think about but the same goes for opposition coaches given the flexibility it offers the Boomers, who are particularly blessed with athletic wings.<\/p>\n That, of course, starts with Green and Matisse Thybulle. Both players fill pretty similar roles for the Boomers, so you would expect only one of them would be in the starting line-up.<\/p>\n Although there is also obviously the chance that neither of them starts, depending on who fills that final spot in the team.<\/p>\n \u201cJosh as he develops does do a lot of what Matisse does and they\u2019re very similar players,\u201d Anstey told SEN Radio<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cNeither of them shoot the 3 ball that well yet. Josh has probably demonstrated more improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n Thybulle though showed plenty of improvement too since being traded to Portland, shooting a career-best 38.8 per cent from deep and averaging 7.4 points in 22 games for the Trail Blazers.<\/p>\n And of course, Thybulle was one of the Boomers\u2019 heroes in their 107-93 win over Slovenia in the bronze medal game, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.<\/p>\n Thybulle is still the most talented defender in this Boomers squad, although the 26-year-old\u2019s development on offence could dictate whether he or Green gets the nod in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be interesting in the next 12 months if Josh does take that next step whether or not they continue to pick him and Matisse,\u201d Anstey said. <\/p>\n Honestly, there are so many different ways Goorjian could go depending on whether he wants to focus on shooting or even pure size. <\/p>\n There could be more benefit in simply playing to Australia\u2019s strengths instead of prioritising size for the sake of it too.<\/p>\n Nick Kay, White and Cooks would also come into consideration depending on who is the final player cut from the current 13-man squad.<\/p>\n HOW DOES GOORJIAN BALANCE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE?<\/b><\/p>\n Outside of deciding who will be the final cut, the other big dilemma for coach Goorjian is the weighing up of the two different timelines the Boomers are navigating in their current state.<\/p>\n Leaving Matthew Dellavedova, an Australian basketball legend, out of the 13-man squad for the warm-up games was expected \u2014 but it didn\u2019t make it any less jarring. <\/p>\n The same goes for Aron Baynes, yet another example of the changing of the guard that is taking place.<\/p>\n But this generational shift isn\u2019t happening with any eye just <\/i>on the future. It is about what is best for the team now and its chances of going deep into the World Cup.<\/p>\n Giddey and Daniels both have at least one season in the NBA under their belt and have proven they are not just Boomers of the future; they deserve their chance right now. <\/p>\n Speaking of Giddey, it will be particularly interesting to see how the Boomers run their offence and whether it goes through the 20-year-old or more experienced Mills.<\/p>\n Best to ask Goorjian himself and the Boomers coach seemed to suggest the rising Oklahoma City star will play a big role.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the decisions made: when he\u2019s on the floor, we\u2019re gonna put the ball in his hands a lot,\u201d Goorjian told ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a huge piece of this moving forward. Not just this, but it\u2019s like an Andrew Gaze, as far as the Boomers. What he is, and as we get him with the group, and as it expands, a lot of it\u2019s gotta be built around him.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters earlier in the month, Goorjian said even in training camp it was quickly becoming clear just how much better Giddey can make everybody else with the ball in his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a great player and I\u2019m really excited about his progression in the NBA, it\u2019s been remarkable and now I\u2019m having him after last year\u2019s improvement,\u201d Goorjian said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just feel it the minute he walked in the gym, putting the ball in his hands. We\u2019re very fortunate to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n Giddey though was also quick to recognise the influence and mentorship of veteran players like Ingles and Mills in shaping the player and competitor he is today.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in contact with them for the last three, four years even before I signed in Adelaide so they\u2019ve been great for me mentoring and guiding me,\u201d Giddey told reporters earlier this month. <\/p>\n \u201cPatty is going to his fifth Olympics, Joe has been in multiple World Cups. They\u2019ve represented Australia for a number of years now and to have those guys be able to teach me and guide me and show me the ropes of what it means to be a Boomer, I couldn\u2019t ask for anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n While Giddey\u2019s shooting still remains a work in progress, his playmaking prowess makes the 20-year-old the perfect focal point of the Boomers offence.<\/p>\n That will mean playing at a faster pace, although that is something that teammate Kay is more than happy to do if it means having the ball in Giddey\u2019s hands more.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a hell of a player,\u201d Kay said of Giddey on SEN Radio<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cYou just watch him at training and his ability to draw defence, make the right pass and create things for the other guys.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s definitely a guy that can carry on that Boomers program and possibly even take it to another level as he continues to mature as a player.\u201d<\/p>\n Mills will still have a prominent role in this team, both on and off the court given his leadership and overall presence in the locker room.<\/p>\n Anstey though believes the 35-year-old will still play an important role in dictating Australia\u2019s success.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if we hand the keys over straight away,\u201d Anstey said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe certainly give him a real quickfire induction and let him be him. He\u2019ll have his moments… but it\u2019s Patty\u2019s team until it\u2019s not and he\u2019ll have his fingerprints all over this.\u201d<\/p>\n As a whole though, Anstey said he forecasts this year\u2019s World Cup acting as somewhat of a springboard for next year\u2019s Olympic Games \u2014 and that includes 20-year-old guard Daniels.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get a major tournament into Dyson ahead of what is probably going to be the deepest and strongest Olympic Games in 2024 we\u2019ve probably seen in quite a while, I tend to think they\u2019d probably lean towards Dyson and youth,\u201d Anstey said.<\/p>\n BOOMERS VS THE WORLD<\/b><\/p>\n While the World Cup itself gets underway later this month, the Boomers will have five warm-up games before then to finetune things and make a final cut to their playing roster.<\/p>\n Australia will be in action against Venezuela at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night (7.45pm AEST).<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s exhibition game against Brazil was scheduled for the same time but has since been pushed forward to a 5.30pm tip-off.<\/p>\n It means Australian basketball fans will be able to tune into the game before switching over to watch the Matildas look to continue their dream FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup charge against France.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Matildas have really captured the nation this World Cup, including the men\u2019s national basketball team. The way the ladies play with so much heart and passion has been so inspiring to witness,\u201d Australian captain Patty Mills said.<\/p>\n \u201cJust like the rest of the country, our Boomers team have been locked in for each game, watching it as a team and enjoying every part of supporting and celebrating these incredible athletes. <\/p>\n \u201cSupporting our fellow Australian athletes is crucial, so moving our game was an easy decision. We are now super excited to join the rest of Australia in watching the ladies on Wednesday after we play our second game in Melbourne.\u201d<\/p>\n The final warm-up game in Melbourne will tip off at 7.45pm (AEST) on Thursday night, with the Boomers facing South Sudan at Rod Laver Arena.<\/p>\n There will be two other opportunities for the Boomers to finalise their line-up, with friendly games against France and Georgia in Japan on August 20 and 22.<\/p>\n FULL SCHEDULE (Times AEST)<\/b><\/p>\n Australia vs Venezuela (Monday, August 14 @ 7.45pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Brazil (Wednesday, August 16 @ 5.30pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs South Sudan (Thursday, August 17 @ 7.45pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs France (Sunday, August 20 @ 2pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Georgia (Tuesday, August 22 @ TBD)<\/p>\n HOW TO WATCH EVERY BOOMERS FIBA WORLD CUP GAME<\/b><\/p>\n As for the World Cup action itself, the Boomers are part of Group E and will play Finland in their first official game to kick off the tournament.<\/p>\n That game is scheduled for 6pm AEST on Friday, August 25. Australia is also scheduled to face Germany (6.30pm, August 27) and Japan (9.10pm, August 29) to round out the group stage.<\/p>\n You can watch EVERY Boomers game live with ESPN on Kayo<\/a>. <\/p>\n FULL SCHEDULE <\/b><\/p>\n Australia vs Finland (Friday, August 25 @ 6pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Germany (Sunday, August 27 @ 6.30pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Japan (Tuesday, August 29 @ 9.10pm)<\/p>\n BOOMERS\u2019 13-MAN SQUAD FOR WARM-UP GAMES<\/b><\/p>\n Xavier Cooks, Dyson Daniels, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Chris Goulding, Josh Green, Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Jock Landale (*injured), Patty Mills, Duop Reath, Matisse Thybulle, Jack White<\/p>\n PLAYERS ALREADY CUT<\/b><\/p>\n Matthew Dellavedova, Will McDowell-White, Thon Maker, Keanu Pinder, Sam Froling<\/p>\n FIBA WORLD CUP GROUPS<\/b><\/p>\n Group A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy<\/p>\n Group B: South Sudan, Serbia, China, Puerto Rico<\/p>\n Group C: USA, Jordan, Greece, New Zealand<\/p>\n Group D: Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania<\/p>\n Group E: Germany, Finland, Australia<\/b>, Japan<\/p>\n Group F: Slovenia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Venezuela<\/p>\n Group G: Iran, Spain, Cote d\u2019Ivoire, Brazil<\/p>\n Group H: Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France<\/p>\n FIBA WORLD CUP WINNER ODDS (via TAB.com.au)<\/b><\/p>\n USA \u2014 $2.10<\/p>\n Canada \u2014 $6.00<\/p>\n Australia \u2014 $9.00 <\/p>\n Slovenia \u2014 $11.00 <\/p>\n France \u2014 $12.00<\/p>\n