Josh Giddey leads Australia Boomers’ player pool for Paris Olympics

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Josh Giddey is headlining Australia’s 22-player pool for the 2024 Paris Olympics, as announced by Basketball Australia.

The 21-year-old young star, who also led the Boomers last year in the FIBA World Cup 2023, is joined by fellow NBA players Patty Mills (Miami Heat), Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Matisse Thybulle and Duop Reath (Portland Trailblazers), Josh Green and Dante Exum (Dallas Mavericks), Jock Landale (Phoenix Suns), and Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans).

Players with NBA experience are also in the squad, including Xavier Cooks, Jack White, Nick Kay, and Matthew Dellavedova as well as Kansas Jayhawks freshman and soon-to-be NBA draftee Johnny Furphy.

Rounding out the squad are eight current NBL players Chris Goulding, DJ Vasiljevic, Jack McVeigh, Keanu Pinder, Matthew Dellavedova, Sam Froling, Will Magnay, and Will McDowell-White. 

The 22-man roster was announced and picked by Basketball Australia with their head coach Brian Goorjian at the helm. The Boomers aim to send a strong roster to Paris in hopes of a podium finish

One notable absence from the pool is former no.1 overall pick Ben Simmons, who withdrew from the squad yet again due to a nagging back injury that needed surgery.

“We’ve been actively monitoring the Aussie players across international leagues in USA, Europe, and Asia as well as domestically in the NBL and we’re confident in the potential chemistry of this list,” Goorjian said.

Australia will be in Group A with Canada, Greece OQT winner, and Spain OQT winner for the 2024 Paris Olympics slated later this year.