Boomers name preliminary 2024 Paris Olympic squad

Ten players from the Bronze medal-winning Tokyo 2020 Olympics Boomers side have been named to the Paris 2024 initial squad list. 

Basketball Australia announced on Thursday its initial Paris 2024 Boomers’ squad list. 22 players were named, including Oklahoma City Thunder starlet Josh Giddey. Basketball Australia won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and are coming into this tournament as one of the betting sites’ favourites.  

10 bronze medal-winning players named to squad 

There are lots of familiar names on Basketball Australia’s preliminary Boomers’ roster. Ten of the 22 players called up to initial training were on the Australia side who won bronze at the 2020 Olympics tournament in Tokyo.  
 
Those players include Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Josh Green, Dante Exum, Matisse Thybulle, Jock Landale, Chris Goulding, Matthew Dellavedova, Duop Reath and Boomers’ legend Patty Mills. Aron Baynes and Nathan Sobey, who are both without a club right now, missed out on a 2024 call-up.  
 
While there are plenty of veterans in the initial 22-man squad, there is also plenty of young talent to look forward to. OKC Thunder’s 22-year-old Josh Giddey headlines the younger players on the initial roster. The Pelicans’ Dyson Daniels, Grizzlies’ Jack White, and University of Kansas Jayhawks star Johnny Furphy are also worth keeping an eye on.  

Simmons left out with back injury 

One player who will for sure not be going to the 2024 Paris Olympics is Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons. The three-time NBA All-Star has suffered yet another back injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the season, including the Paris Olympics.  
 
Before the season, Simmons had said he was “all in” regarding his chances of playing for the Boomers this July at the Olympics. This was met with criticism from Boomers fans, including Andrew Bogut who warned Simmons of making promises he didn’t plan on keeping.  
 
Simmons has never played for Australia at the Olympics. He last suited up for the Boomers in 2013.  

Boomers’ Olympics odds 

The competition at the Paris Olympics basketball tournament is as stiff as it's ever been. Like always, star-studded Team USA are coming into the tournament as favourites. Behind them, Canada and Serbia are also expected to do well. Besides that, the betting sites are very split.  
 
Some sports betting sites have Australia as one of the favourites, just behind Canada and Serbia. Others have the Boomers as big outsiders, behind national teams like Germany, France, and Spain.  
 
Whatever the case, the Australians will be feeling the pressure heading into Paris 2024 with it being a ‘Last Dance’ of sorts for the Boomers’ golden generation. It’s likely the last tournament we see players like Patty Mills and Joe Ingles suiting up for Australia.  

Mills and Ingles were named to the 22-man preliminary roster alongside Chris Goulding, Dante Exum, Nick Kay, Sam Froling, Josh Giddey, Duop Reath, Dyson Daniels, Josh Green, Will McDowell-White, Keanu Pinder, Xavier Cooks, Jack White, Matisse Thybulle, Jock Landale, Matthew Dellavedova, Johnny Furphy, Rocco Zikarsky, Will Magnay, Jack McVeigh, and Dejan Vasiljevic.