Goorjian braces for Boomers cull ahead of Olympics (2024)

Bullish about claiming Olympic gold, Boomers coach Brian Goorjian admits pondering the most effective Australia side is giving him sleepless nights.

Goorjian says Australia's men's basketball team is ready to compete for an elusive Olympic gold medal - but that picking who to drop from his 17-player squad looms as a major headache.

Lead-up clashes in Melbourne against China on July 2 and July 4 will be the final chance for players to convince Goorjian they deserve a spot on the 12-man Olympic roster.

Five players will get the chop ahead of final dress rehearsals against the USA (July 15) and Serbia (July 16) in the United Arab Emirates.

The opening ceremony in Paris takes place 10 days after the Serbia clash.

Patty Mills, Josh Giddey and Josh Green are among several NBA stars in the current squad, but Goorjian insists individual profile alone will not be enough for a ticket to the Games.

"It's not about (being) a superstar. We know that we have to do it collectively as a team," Goorjian said on Friday.

"It's really about ... putting combinations together and which guys mesh, and figuring out the exact style we want to play.

"We've come a long way from (2023's) World Cup because there was a lot of change - three new starts, seven new players - so we have a better idea of putting them all together.

"It might be the guy that fits with these four guys, as opposed to the best player.

"That's the one that keeps you sleepless a little bit at night."

The Paris Games will feature one of the greatest assemblies of men's Olympic basketball talent, with Australia set to take on NBA-heavy Canada and potentially Spain or Greece in a tough pool stage.

Bringing that 'gold vibe' is the new mantra for a Boomers squad determined to go further than their bronze medal in the Tokyo Games in 2021 - the Australian men's team's first-ever visit to an Olympic podium.

"'Gold vibe' is doing everything at a gold-medal level," Goorjian said.

"A group of them have medalled and they want that next step. It's going to be competitive.

"They've been at the top of the mountain, or close to the top of the mountain, before and they're driven to do it again."

Current Boomers and Tokyo medallists Green and Dante Exum could head to Paris as NBA champions with the Dallas Mavericks.

Both Australians featured as the Mavericks were defeated in match one of the seven-game NBA Finals series on Friday (AEST), going down 107-89 to the Boston Celtics.

Australian Associated Press