Australian basketball players made up for the lost bronze medal at Mundobasket 2019 by winning a medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo two years later.
At that time, the "kangaroos" won the bronze by defeating Slovenia, and it was their first honor at the biggest competition in history. Everyone in Australia hopes that this medal is only the first in a series and that the national team can repeat a similar result at this World Championship. Especially, she shouldn't have a problem in a group that also includes Germany, Finland and Japan.
Compared to the last WC, they are no longer in the team Andrew Bogut i Aaron Baynes, long gone Ben Simmons, now it's not there either Matthew Dellavedova, while Jock Landale dropped out due to injury.
All these names indicate that Australia is not the strongest team in Okinawa, Japan, but in the team it leads Brian Gordjian there is no lack of options that can fulfill ambitions. Oklahoma playmaker Josh Giddy is planned as the first attacking option, and he will be the support in the "unit" position Dante Exum after a fantastic season in Partizan, which earned him a new invitation from the NBA (Dallas reinforced).
Because of Gidi, it is expected that the two "senators" - the 35-year-old - will get a slightly different role Patty Mills i Joe Ingles. Australia's extra strength is provided by the wing Josh Green, and if there is a weak point, it is the centers - at Mundobasket, trust is given Nick Kay, who played in the Japanese league for the last two years, and Duopa Rita - a well-known name from the ABA league, where he wore the jersey of FMP and Crvena zvezda.
Australia was better than France 78:74 in the preparatory match on Sunday. Gidi and Kay scored 12 points each, Exum, Mills and Rit scored 11 each... The bad news is that Green injured his ankle, but the latest information says that his performance at Mundobasket is not in question.
Bonus video: