2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Team Preview: Australia

The Boomers enter the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain ranked ninth overall and second in its group. With young and fresh talents in the roster and despite the absence of two of its key players, Patty Mills and Andrew Bogut, Australia aims to win its first gold medal at the tournament.

Australia boasts four players from the National Basketball Association (NBA) headlined by Aron Baynes (San Antonio Spurs), Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls), Dante Exum (Utah Jazz), and Brock Motum (Utah Jazz). Bairstow, Exum, Motum make their debut in a major international tournament.

Adam Gibson, who plays team captain for the Adelaide 36ers, is the only player from National Basketball League (NBL) to make the squad.

David Andersen will be playing in his fifth major international tournament. Andersen played for Australia at the FIBA Oceania Championship 2003, the FIBA Oceania Championship 2005, and the FIBA Oceania Championship 2007. Andersen was also part of Australia's roster in the 2010 FIBA World Championship held in Turkey.

Veterans Joe Ingles and Brad Newley will also be huge factors to help the Boomers achieve their goal. Ingles has performed fairly well exhibition matches prior the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The Boomers are prepped to aggressive style of basketball on international stage. The team can rely on Ingles, who can play great defence. Motum has a high basketball IQ and athleticism. They have a loaded backcourt comprised of Exum and Dellavedova. They will have no shortage of talent that could contain key opposition players and cause disappointment to some of the most preferred teams in the tournament.

Australia is in Group D, along with Angola, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, and Slovenia. The Boomers have qualified for the FIBA Basketball World Cup by winning the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship.

Boomers World Cup Team (Club/Position)

David Andersen (Strasbourg Illkirch-Graffenstaden Basket; France/Power Forward)
Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls; NBA/Power Forward, Center)
Aron Baynes (San Antonio Spurs; NBA/Center)
Ryan Broekhoff (Beşiktaş J.K. İstanbul; Turkey/Shooting Guard, Small Forward)
Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers; NBA/Point Guard)
Dante Exum (Utah Jazz; NBA/Point Guard)
Adam Gibson (Adelaide 36ers; NBL/Guard)
Chris Goulding (Basket Zaragoza 2002 S. A. D.; Spain/Shooting Guard)
Joe Ingles (Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.; Israel/Shooting Guard, Small Forward)
Nathan Jawai (Galatasaray Liv Hospital; Turkey/Power Forward, Center)
Brock Motum (Utah Jazz; NBA/Power Forward)
Brad Newley (Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria - Claret, S.A.D., Spain/Small Forward, Shooting Guard)

Australia Schedule at the 2014 FIBA World Cup

Australia vs. Slovenia - Aug. 30
Australia vs. Korea - Aug. 31
Australia vs. Lithuania - Sept. 2
Australia vs. Mexico - Sept. 3
Australia vs. Angola - Sept. 4

The top four teams will advance to play in the knockout stages of the tournament.