Basketball Australia wishes to advise Jonah Bolden has informed Australian Head Coach Andrej Lemanis his intent to return to Philadelphia due to personal reasons.
As such he has withdrawn from the Australian Boomers team.
Andrej Lemanis said he supported Bolden’s decision.
“My first thought is always with the player in these situations – having to withdraw from the national team is tough for anyone,” he said.
“From a team perspective, the timing is sub-optimal, but again, we are very fortunate to have the depth of talent we have in this country available to take up this opportunity. Whilst it can feel like we need to make a quick decision, the most important thing is to bring in the player that best compliments the other skill sets we have on the team.
“The Canada series has allowed us to understand a little more about who we are as a team and we need to consider all available players to ensure we add the appropriate set of skills that match the needs of the team.”
The Australian coaching panel will discuss and confirm a replacement player for the FIBA World Cup and this week’s Australia v USA Basketball games.