(MENAFN– Khaleej Times)
Published: Tue 9 Jul 2024, 1:35 PM

Australia have announced their final squad ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, with the nation calling on a host of the world’s best players.

Before arriving in France, the talent-packed squad will take part in a pre-Games preparation camp in Abu Dhabi, organised by the USA basketball Men’s National Team and featuring three high-profile exhibition games from July 15-17.

The Australian Boomers, ranked No5 in the world, are the 2022 FIBA Asia champions and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists. Their 2024 roster includes eight players from the Tokyo squad, including Patty Mills (captain), Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Will Magnay and Jack McVeigh.

Former NBA guard Dellavedova made the cut for his fourth Olympics but there was no place in the squad for defensive standout Matisse Thybulle of the Portland Trail Blazers.

At the Olympics, the Boomers will play Canada and two teams from the final round of qualifying tournaments in the group stage.

The competitions run from July 27 to Aug. 11 with the preliminary rounds taking place in Lille before the playoffs in Paris.

Meanwhile, the Boomers’ first game in the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi will be on July 15 against the USA national team, which features 12 athletes with extensive USA basketball experience.

The USA team includes three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader LeBron James, who owns a pair of Olympic gold medals. In addition to Durant and James, the NBA’s all-time leader in career 3-pointers, Stephen Curry, will also be on the roster.

The Australians will be playing Serbia, ranked No. 4 in the world, on July 16. Serbia, which reached the finals of last year’s FIBA World Cup, recently announced their provisional squad, featuring current NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who was not part of their World Cup roster. Other key players on Serbia’s provisional roster include Vasilije Micic, Aleksej Pokusevski, Nikola Jovic, and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The last game of US Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi will see Serbia facing the USA inside Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on July 17.

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