It wasn’t the prettiest finish, but the Boomers have completed their biggest hit out so far since the Tokyo Olympics, taking home a second consecutive FIBA Asia Cup title over the weekend after surviving a gut-wrenching final game against Lebanon.
But with that out of the way, all eyes now turn to the FIBA World Cup, where Australia will be desperate to improve on their heart-breaking 2019 fourth-place finish.
In terms of the roster, Australia will be in a stronger place than ever come the August - September tournament, with more high-level Aussies in the NBA, Europe, and even the NBL than ever before.
The current Boomers stalwarts are being backed up by young and exciting players such as Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, plus the ever-looming threat of finally getting a Ben Simmons commitment to the green and gold.
MORE: Maker leads Australia to FIBA Asia Cup victory
But this far out, no roster spots are finalised, and after some dominant play over the course of the Asia Cup tournament, a number of Boomers will be pushing to stamp their tickets for 2023.
So which Asia Cup Boomers could we see competing for a World Cup roster spot?
Thon Maker
The most obvious pick of this group is Thon Maker, the former No.10 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft who achieved All-Star Five honours at the Asia Cup after averaging 17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
Maker was in the mix for the Boomers squad in Tokyo, before withdrawing from contention and his play across this Boomers' window has been that of a player primed to cement his place in the green and gold.
Currently a free agent, Maker is coming off a stint with G League team the Long Island Nets, having previously played five years in the NBA and one with Hapoel Jerusalem.
The 25-year-old is obviously keen to return to the NBA but is also rumoured to be in conversations with multiple NBL teams, and if he can land in a good environment and put together a solid season, he will be a hard player for coach Brian Goorjian and the selectors to go past.
Mitch McCarron
The second Boomer awarded All-Star five honours at the FIBA Asia Cup, Mitch McCarron was arguably Australia’s best player and undisputedly their emotional centre, averaging 8.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.
This was McCarron’s second Asia Cup with the Boomers, part of the 2017 championship squad, and his play in this campaign combined with his vastly-improved NBL play - 7.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game for Adelaide in 2021-22 - should see him squarely in the conversation for a spot in the World Cup squad.
Of course, he will be looking to crack a place in a fairly stacked backcourt, with names such as Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Josh Giddey, and Dyson Daniels more likely to eat up to the majority of minutes at guard.
However, each Boomers team usually features a number of high-level NBL players, such as Nathan Sobey at the Tokyo Olympics, and McCarron’s style of play is one not necessarily predicated on high usage, making him an ideal locker room presence to bring along.
Tyrese Proctor
Tyrese Proctor is only 18 years old, and yet he proved to be one of the Boomers' most steady hands during their Asia Cup Championship run, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
By the time the FIBA World Cup rolls around, he would have completed his freshman year at Duke University in the NCAA, and will most likely have been drafted in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
This extra year of development, not to mention pure growth, will see Proctor flourish even more and come the World Cup, his game could be even more impressive.
Granted, he is also competing for a spot in the aforementioned stacked backcourt, and Goorjian and the Boomers have already proved that being a high-level NBA prospect does not guarantee a spot on the team, with Josh Giddey missing the cut for Tokyo.
However, Proctor could be the next in Australia’s ever-growing lineage of elite guards, and will most definitely be angling for a seat on the plane to Asia.
Will McDowell-White
This is more of a bet on potential than any other choice here, but Will McDowell-White truly flourished over the Boomers’ six-game sample, including a monstrous 15-point, seven-assist effort in the semi-final against New Zealand.
McDowell-White averaged 8.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds for the Boomers, up from his NBL averages of 6.6/3.7/3.1.
Only 24 years old, the Queenslander has long been considered a prospect who had all the tools, and during the Asia Cup, we finally saw him start to put them together.
If he can continue this development over the next 12 months, McDowell-White could most definitely enter the conversation as a dark horse candidate for the World Cup.
