With the Boomers coming oh so close to earning a medal in both the 2016 Olympic Games and 2019 FIBA World Cup, basketball is clearly on the rise Down Under.
Since 1991, when Luc Longley became the first Aussie to debut in the NBA, Australia has exported a bevvy of stars in the following decades and has had nine citizens suit up for American squads this past season.
The recent news that the NBA would look to start on December 22nd means things will now start falling into place for the Boomers team and assembling what will be perhaps the countries most talented roster yet is now the goal.
With NBA stars like Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills expected to make the team and Australia in it’s the best to position to win its first Olympic medal for men’s basketball, the question begs asking, what would the greatest all-time Boomers roster look like?
Point Guard: Ben Simmons (2017-Present)
The dominant Aussie in today’s game, Ben Simmons is an outstanding start to the all-time Boomers, as he provides lockdown defence, tremendous playmaking ability and an unselfish passing game. The number one overall pick in 2016, Simmons three-point stroke has been harped on by pundits his entire career. While this criticism is indeed justified, and his ability to space the floor is next to none, he excels to such a degree in every other aspect of the game that it truly doesn’t matter. At 6’10”, Big Ben is able to body opponents in the paint like a centre, while simultaneously finding every open passing lane like John Stockton.
Simmons has posted truly remarkable numbers to this point in his career, with 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game showing his well-rounded skill set. His incredible growth at the age of 24 has earned him a laundry list of accolades in his three NBA seasons, taking home Rookie of the Year honours, to go with All-Rookie, All-NBA and All-Defensive selections, as well as leaning the league in steals and two All-Star berths. Signed to a five-year max extension, Simmons is without a doubt Australia’s preeminent player and looks poised to have a Hall of Fame career.
Shooting Guard: Patty Mills (2009-Present)
A crucial cog in the excellent Boomers 2019 FIBA World Cup run, Patty Mills is one of the most recognized and important Australians in the NBA today. As a true sixth man, Mills has averaged less than 20 minutes per game in his NBA career, but he certainly makes those precious minutes count off the bench. At only 6’1”, the 2013-2014 NBA champion’s game relies more on highflying playmaking and shooting touch rather than banging down low.
He’s shot 43.1% from the floor and 38.9% from beyond the arc for his career, allowing him to put up 8.7 points per game in spite of his limited playing time. With spacing being his most valuable contribution on the floor, he’s arguably even more integral in the locker room, as his competitiveness and team-first attitude set the tone for both the Spurs and the Boomers every time he takes the court.
Small Forward: Joe Ingles (2014-Present)
Making his way to the States at the ripe old age of 27, Joe Ingles has made a name for himself as one of the NBA’s best glue guys in recent years. Jinglin’ Joe provides quality minutes for the Jazz by doing a little bit of everything on a nightly basis. His 44.7% field goal and 40.7% three-point percentage help him to put points on the board as well as create space for teammates to work.
Ingles’ rock-solid offence is enough to have earned him a starting role in Utah the past few seasons, but where he truly shines is on the other end of the floor. A nuisance to the opposition, Ingles’ trash-talking and high motor play allowed him to finish in the top-20 in defensive win shares twice, piling up 15.5 for his career. With six years of high-quality work under his belt, Joe Ingles is not only the best small forward to ever come out of Australia, but one of the nation’s best exports overall.
Power Forward: Thon Maker (2016-Present)
Born in South Sudan, seven-footer Thon Maker’s family fled the Second Sudanese Civil War when he was only five years old, travelling first to Uganda, and then to Australia where they set up permanent residence. While Maker has had a hard time living up to the hype he received as the number 10 overall pick in 2016, he has been a useful piece for the Boomers in recent years. Missing out on last year’s FIBA World Cup run, Maker did play in the qualifying tournament where he was involved in the heavily publicized brawl against the Philippines.
Fisticuffs aside, Maker has been mostly a bench player for the Bucks and Pistons, averaging 13.9 minutes per game for his career, with a middling 32.9% three-point percentage and shooting 43.3% from the floor. Maker is a decent, but unspectacular defender, earning 4.0 total defensive win shares and averaging only 2.8 rebounds per game. However, with a dearth of Australian fours, he makes the starting line-up for the all-time Boomers, and at only 23 years of age, he has plenty of time to kick things into gear.
Center: Andrew Bogut (2005-2019)
The first number one overall selection ever to come from Down Under, seven-footer Andrew Bogut came into the league with a tremendous amount of fanfare and acquitted himself quite well over his 14 NBA seasons. Bogut has been known as a defensive stalwart who can handle himself decently on the offensive side of the ball. Averaging 9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 28.1 minutes per game for his career, Bogut has earned himself his fair share of trophy case material.
Starting with an All-Rookie team selection, the big man would go on to pile up All-NBA and All-Defensive selections as well as a blocks title and championship ring. While injuries prevented him from achieving the perennial All-Star status that many had predicted for him, Bogut put together well over a decade of excellent production and provides the all-time Boomers with an immovable bulwark at the five.
Bench:
Centre – Luc Longley (1991-2001)
The first-ever Australian NBA player, Luc Longley put together one heck of a ten-year career as an outstanding defensive big man. The 7’2” Longley served as an anchor in the paint, stopping opposing centres and putting up decent scoring numbers in his prime.
All told, the three-time NBA champion put up 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds over 21.2 minutes per game, and with 17.9 defensive win shares for his career, he gives the Boomers a high quality five off the bench.
Guard – Matthew Dellavedova (2013-Present)
An NBA Finals hero for LeBron’s Cavaliers, Matthew Dellavedova is yet another gritty, undervalued Australian who made his bones off the bench. While he rarely lights up the stat sheet, Delly’s hustle, intensity and competitiveness make him an integral part of every team he’s on. Averaging only 5.6 points per game, he started out his career sinking threes at a high-30% clip but has recently become allergic to making a shot from downtown.
While his broken jumper limits his ability to space the floor, he does pass the ball well enough, with 3.7 assists per game, and as a pesky defender, he can cause opponents fits while giving the Boomers solid backcourt depth.
Forward/Centre – David Andersen (2009-2011)
Despite playing in only 103 total NBA games for three different organizations, David Andersen is basketball royalty both in Australia and Europe. At 6’11”, the big man provides depth at both the four and five for the Boomers and brings a tremendous amount of experience in big games. Over his two decades in professional basketball, Andersen has won 12 championships and has come to personify the notion of a stretch big.
Shooting 34.7% from three in the NBA, and 41.3% in Euroleague, Andersen does an excellent job of spacing the floor while also grabbing boards and locking up opposing centres. One of the better players in Australian history, Andersen brings an experienced and versatile game to a deadly all-time Boomers squad.
Centre – Aron Baynes (2012-Present)
A long time role player for four different franchises, current Boomers centre Aron Baynes has proven to be an effective scorer and stopper in limited playing time off the bench. The 2013-2014 NBA champ has provided lockdown defence in the paint, with an even 10.0 defensive win shares, while also doing enough on the offensive side of the ball to stay on the floor.
A lifetime 49.5% shooter and 32.7% from three, Baynes’ newfound long-range shot allows him to space the floor while also protecting the glass.
Guard – Shane Heal (1996-1997, 2003-2004)
While Shane Heal may not be well known to most American fans, the diminutive point guard is nothing short of an Aussie legend. Carrying the torch for the Boomers for close to two decades, Heal proved to be a spark plug for them in the 1990s and early 2000s. Only appearing in 49 total NBA games with very limited minutes, where Heal really excelled was in the NBL.
A veteran of 16 NBL campaigns, the 6’0” Heal became known as a lethal sniper, sinking 42.1% of field goals and 38.3% from beyond the arc. With 20.6 points per game over 440 career NBL contests, Shane Heal offers a tremendous spark off an already deep Boomer bench.
Guard – Andrew Gaze (1993-1994, 1998-1999)
Much like Shane Heal, Andrew Gaze is another legend of Boomer basketball that established his dominance not in the NBA, but rather in the NBL. Playing in 22 total seasons for the Melbourne Tigers, Gaze carved out a legacy as the greatest player in NBL history.
The 6’7” shooting guard was a scoring machine, racking up 30.9 points per game on 51.8% shooting from the field and 36.5% from deep. Not at all a one-trick pony, Gaze also did a good job sharing the ball, averaging 5.8 assists, as well as grabbing 5.1 rebounds per game. Twice an NBL champion, and boasting seven NBL MVP awards, Gaze gives the Boomers another dynamic playmaker to utilize off the bench.
Forward – Andrew Vlahov
Despite never appearing in an NBA game, Andrew Vlahov has had quite the career in professional basketball. A 6’7” small/power forward, Vlahov put himself on the map as an NBL star in the 1990s. A staunch defender and solid offensive producer, Vlahov suited up in 349 total NBL contests for the Perth Wildcats, where he averaged 16.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
With 11 seasons of high-quality play, Vlahov earned a litany of accolades, including two championship rings, two Gaze medals and an Australian Basketball Hall of Fame induction. A well-rounded player who can excel on both ends of the floor, Vlahov adds tremendous versatility to an elite all-time Boomers squad.
Head Coach: Lindsay Gaze
The father of Andrew, Lindsay Gaze is perhaps the greatest basketball coach Australia has ever produced. Piloting the Aussies in four different Olympic Games, Gaze brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the all-time Boomers. Gaze is also without a doubt the greatest coach in NBL history, as he led the Melbourne Tigers for 22 seasons, winning Coach of the Year honours three times, as well as bringing home two league
championships. The second-winningest NBL coach ever, Gaze is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and has been one of, if not the most important person in the history of Australian basketball.
Ethan Pechersky is a Philadelphia-based sportswriter with a deep love for Australia. Standing 5'10" with absolutely zero basketball talent to his name, he spends his time thinking he knows more than every coach and GM in the league, and being disappointed year in and year out by his beloved Jazz's early playoff exits.
