Brian Goorjian has reportedly made a few tough calls as the Boomers finalised their 12-man squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As revealed by Code Sports on Friday, Matisse Thybulle, Xavier Cooks, Chris Goulding, Dejan Vasiljevic and Jack White were the five players cut after Australia’s two warm-up games against China.
WINNERS AND LOSERS: Breaking down all the key Boomers selection calls
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At this stage it looks like Thybulle, who was widely considered a lock for the squad, is not unavailable due to injury and instead has been left out.
Thybulle’s reported omission is easily the biggest shock given Goorjian had told ESPN when he first named Australia’s 22-man squad that the team was going to feature “Aussie ball”, which centred around “playing at tempo, at pace and downhill”.
The Portland Trail Blazers star was one of the most disruptive defenders available for selection, with the ability to create opportunities in transition and, as a result, the chance the play downhill and at pace.
Boomers legend Andrew Bogut said on the first episode of NBL Media’s ‘The Gold Standard’ podcast this morning that leaving out Thybulle was an “interesting” call.
“He’s arguably the best defender on that squad and one of the best defenders in the NBA,” Bogut said.
“I think his shooting and the ups and downs of his shooting was a concern and how I think in the last campaign I wouldn’t say he disappeared but he struggled with that when his shot wasn’t falling.”
It also means Australia will be without a key defensive-minded wing to defend the likes of Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray along with potentially Slovenia’s Luka Doncic and Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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JackJumpers duo Will Magnay and Jack McVeigh have both reportedly earned selection, with the former off to Paris as cover should either Jock Landale or Duop Reath suffer an injury.
McVeigh will add a much-needed shooting threat, although Chris Goulding is unlucky to miss out after going 8-for-12 from deep in the two warm-up games.
Goulding’s hot shooting streak had Andrew Gaze declaring “he’s in” for Paris in commentary on Thursday night, while John Casey described him as a “game-breaker”.
Meanwhile, having missed out on selection in the FIBA World Cup squad last year, Matthew Dellavedova is back in the green and gold, Code Sports reports.
He will be playing in his fourth Olympics while it is a fifth time for Patty Mills and Joe Ingles.
Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, McVeigh and Magnay are the debutants.
The 12-man squad will now travel to Abu Dhabi where they will play USA and Serbia in games scheduled for the 15th and 16th of July at 2am AEST.
BOOMERS’ 12-MAN SQUAD (per Code Sports)
Josh Giddey
Matthew Dellavedova
Patty Mills
Dyson Daniels
Josh Green
Dante Exum
Jack McVeigh
Nick Kay
Joe Ingles
Jock Landale
Duop Reath
Will Magnay
CUT: Matisse Thybulle, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, Jack White, Dejan Vasiljevic