The Australian Boomers have announced that Sam Froling, Thon Maker, and Keanu Pinder have been cut from their previously 18-man FIBA World Cup squad as preparations continue to ramp up for the anticipated tournament.
The Boomers will travel to Japan with a 12-man squad with the side’s first outing set for 25 August against Finland before facing Germany and hosts Japan in Okinawa City as a part of the group stage.
A successful group stage would see them advance to face Slovenia, Cape Verde, Georgia or Venezuela in the Round of 16.
The squad, which is currently at a training camp in Cairns, will travel to Melbourne on Wednesday for warm-up clashes against Venezuela, Brazil, and South Sudan.
Boomers 15-man preliminary FIBA World Cup squad:
- Xavier Cooks
- Dyson Daniels
- Matthew Dellavedova
- Dante Exum
- Josh Giddey
- Chris Goulding
- Josh Green
- Joe Ingles
- Nick Kay
- Jock Landale
- Will McDowell-White
- Patty Mills
- Duop Reath
- Matisse Thybulle
- Jack White
With three players still set to be excluded, head coach Brian Goorjian will have some difficult calls to make.
Goorjian will have the opportunity to run a dynamic rotation with 10 squad members having logged NBA minutes this season.
Fresh off a season in which he joined Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson as the only 20-year-olds in NBA history to average 16+ ppg, 7+ rpg, and 6+ apg, Giddey will pull on a Boomers jersey for the first time and head the starting unit.
Mills will start at the one with Ingles and Thybulle among those vying for the starting wing spots and Landale in the middle.
Coming off an historic bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics, bookmakers expect Australia to again challenge for a top three finish with the United States and Canada the only nations currently a shorter price to take out the tournament.
