Boomers Olympic team revealed

The Australian Boomers team for London has been announced.

The Australian men’s basketball team are ready to stand up and be counted as the Boomers look to win their first Olympic medal with a team of players being drawn from some of the toughest competitions around the world.

Star point guard Patty Mills will be running the show in his second Olympic campaign when the Boomers take to the court in London following his recent trip to the NBA Western Conference Finals with the San Antonio Spurs,

“This is again one of the highest honours, to be selected to represent your country at an Olympic Games,” 23-year-old Mills said.

“Beijing was an amazing experience and I know the group has been waiting to get back together to get the job done

Also coming off the back of the Spurs finals run is Boomers head coach Brett Brown, who mans the San Antonio bench as an assistant coach.

Having spent a decade coaching in the NBL, Brown knows there is something unique that comes to life when an Australian puts on the green and gold to represent their nation.

“In terms of the things that all Australians connect with, this group of athletes embody that spirit,” said Brown.

“They have a strong sense of mateship and there is an inherent toughness that define this group of athletes.

“The entire country can be proud of the fact that the Australian Olympic basketball team will go into the London Olympic Games with players who posses tremendous character and will wear the green and gold with a reflective pride. I am proud to be their coach.”

Having avoided the USA in the preliminary rounds of the London 2012 Games, the Boomers will be confident in moving past the group stages to the serious end of the competition.

“Australia has to be really happy with the group with the way it looks at the moment,” said soon-to-be dual Olympian Mark Worthington.

“From an Australian perspective it is the most favourable draw that we’ve had in quite some time.”

The Boomers team will bring together one of the strongest Olympics contingents who have become accustomed to world class competition in leagues in the USA, Spain, Greece, Italy and from Australia’s own National Basketball League.

“We have a host of players making a name for themselves around the world which is a credit to Australian basketball,” Brown said.

“While we will definitely miss [Andrew] Bogut, it is pleasing to see Patty’s development and it is great to see him doing well for the Australian team as we run a similar system to his NBA team which should make him more comfortable with us at the Olympics.”

Having already played and defeated London opponent China in the recent YouYi series in Perth, the Boomers will begin their final series on home soil against a strong Greek side this weekend.

The Australians will then head to Spain where they will take on the world number two Spanish side that boast an all NBA starting line up.

Competition will take place at the Basketball Arena with the Boomers’ campaign opening game against Brazil on Day 2 of Olympic competition (July 29).