The SportsShmuck is back! I haven't been able to post in a while and I'm sorry to anyone who enjoyed reading my posts. I will now make an effort to keep this blog up to date with the latest happenings and issues in sport. Don't forget to post your comments down the bottom. I will reply as soon as I get the chance.
The Boomers have been dealt a blow before their Olympic campaign takes full flight with the announcement Kyrie Irving, rookie sensation in the NBA, has decided to keep his talents in the USA. Irving has been by far the best rookie in the NBA this season only being overshadowed by the LIN nonsense. I personally didn't think he would do that well in the league only having played a handful of College games for Duke. I totally got that wrong! He is a superstar.The problem is he is sitting behind 4/5 of the best point guards in the world. Standing in the way of Irving's Dreamteam aspirations are Chris Paul(CP3), Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams(D-Will). Some of the PG's mentioned above will be at their prime basketball age when 2016 comes around. I struggle to see them giving their spot up to some young kid. If he thinks he will make the 2016 team he has rocks in his head! I know he is tight with Coach K, but what is to say he will be locked into the 2016 gig. If they don't win the Olympics in London I struggle to see him at the next one. Europe is slowly catching up to the Americans and we continue to see this in the amount of Europeans not only in the NBA, but doing very well.
If Irving was smart he would have played for Australia and been guaranteed a spot in every Olympics for the rest of his career. The Boomers would have been a force to be reckoned with at the London Olympics with many of the players on the roster having played at previous Olympics or World Championships. If Bogut is fit for the games, the Boomers will be a force even without Irving. I think we will definitely come out of the group phase but we desperately need to miss the Spanish or the USA when we cross over. A one off semi final could be the chance to put Australian basketball on the map.
I can tell you one thing, Irving will be cursing he didn't come and play for the Boomers in years to come. There must be people out there giving the kid false hope. I'm sure however he is keeping an eye on D-Wills 57 points, Rondo's monster triple-double, Rose's MVP numbers, Westbrook leading the Thunder to one of the best records and CP3's dominance in the clutch for the Clippers. By 2020 or 2024 he may have a whole new class to compete with and Coach K may not be around. I think this is a huge risk knowing he may have had three Olympics under his belt with the Boomers before he gets a chance of one with the Dreamteam.
Enough of Irving as I believe Brett Brown, Boomers coach, has plenty of talent at his disposal and will have to make some big decisions at training camp. Here is the 12 men who I think could put Australian basketball on the map for good:
Adam Gibson
Patty Mills
David Barlow
Matty Nielsen
Aleks Maric
Joe Ingles
Mark Worthington
Andrew Bogut
David Andersen
Brad Newley
Nathan Jawai
Matthew Dellavedova
Questionables:
Stephen Markovic
Peter Crawford
AJ Ogilvy
Damian Martin
I may have missed some players but this looks like my strongest roster. Let me know if you think I've missed anyone. I'm looking forward to the camps and seeing the boys fight for their positions. I have my fingers crossed Bogut will be ready to go and lead the boys to a medal. Bogut has not yet impressed at the international level and I think it could be his time to shine.
If it's good enough for Min Marsh to retweet then it's got to be worth reading. I disagree with you though. As good as Kyrie is, I think it would have been against the spirit of olympic competition for him to suit up as an aussie. Athletes put in an enormous amount of work to reach the level required to represent their country. To then be denied the opportunity in order to make way for some ring-in with no passion for the green & gold would just be plain wrong. That's what professional sport is for, not the olympics. If we're not as strong a team as a result then so be it. And make no mistake - we will not be a strong team. Your player list is pretty complete and it's a rather uninspiring collection of players unfortunately. If we finish top 8 then I think we will have done very well. I'm tipping 10th.
ReplyDeleteMin Marsh is a legend for giving me some readers. Thanks for the comment I appreciate people giving their opinion. I agree with you in regard to a ring in just walking into the Boomers. However some of these players I feel have no passion for the Green and Gold. Most of them don't make themselves available for the smaller tournaments which leaves our preparation in tatters. I therefore feel Irving would fit in fine.
DeleteAfter watching the garbage that ran around in the Eurobasket I think the Aussies have a chance. The strongest teams did not advance to the Olympics. The likes of Serbia and Croatia did not qualify whereas the likes of Macedonia and Tunisia have. If Bogut is fit and ready to go, the Boomers will give it a shake.
Once the draw is out we will have a clearer indication. Thanks for the comment I hope to see you around here more often!
Just curious is Jawai playing anywhere or is he flipping burgers?
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen him in a Boomers singlet in a while and will be good to see him fit and firing..the question being is he is fit..
In regards to ring ins...watching Macedonia's hero (can't remember his name but definately not maco) a ring in from the states who wasn't born there has given that little country a chance to qualify for the olympics...they couldn't care less that he wasn't born there..it's all about winning..and once you put that jersey on you're representing the country..especially being an import and being their best player you would play your heart out..especially when you are not the best team!
Irving was at least born here..even though he moved away when he was 2 he still is an Aussie..to me it's dumb...he may get a run when they play world championships but definately not olympics..way too much talented young PG's ahead of him (which u have named) so I see it impossible he even gets a look in before the 2020 games (unless he turns out to be better than the likes u have named...don't see it happening).
Australia will compete and compete well at the Olympics with all or most of our players playing over in Europe or the states..Not sure what Mills is doing with himself right not..seemingly a cheerleader at the St Mary's games so he better get his sh*t together before the games begin as the last time he was playing competitive bball was back in.........yep can't remember when (no I don't count the chinese league and nbl as competitive when the likes of JR Smith are putting up triple doubles when scoring 50points...please!)
To me Delevedova is the key..young PG who plays with a lot of heart and hustles like crazy...if he can get the rest of the lazy bums to do the same they are a massive chance at medalling without the heavy weights of Europe around..and there are a lot of them missing!