Boomers great Matthew Dellavedova cops brutal Aussie snub for FIBA World Cup

The Boomers have had to make a heartbreaking decision in the lead-up to the FIBA World Cup, with NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova dropped as coach Brian Goorjian has to trim the side from 15 players to 12 for the tournament. One more player will be delivered some unfortunate news prior to the Cup, which is set to begin later this month.

NBA standout Will McDowell-White was also cut alongside Dellavedova, who enjoyed a brilliant NBA return for the Sacramento Kings last season playing a bit part off the bench. His experience was crucial as the Kings surged to their first playoff appearance in 17 years.

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The Boomers have an embarrassment of riches in the guard spots, with Dellavedova the unfortunate victim of the arrival of the likes of Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels and Josh Green. Goorjian has made no secret of the fact that Giddey, selected sixth overall in the 2021 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, is seen as the future leader of the team.

There will be one further omission before the side heads to Okinawa in Japan to begin their Cup campaign on August 25 against Finland. Goorjian said making the three required cuts was among the most difficults tasks he'd faced in his career.

"On my mind is this selection, which everyone has been talking about, it is going to be probably the most difficult thing I've done in coaching," he said ahead of the confirmation on Wednesday. "And I've coached for a long time."

The 32-year-old was LeBron James' right-hand man on the way to an NBA title with Cleveland in 2016, forging a reputation as one of the toughest players in the world for his defensive work on Steph Curry when the Cavaliers were shorthanded in the previous year's Finals.

That passion, along with his efficient play-making, was a foundation of the Boomers' drive to a maiden international medal - bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Games. The Boomers will play matches against Venezuela, Brazil and South Sudan in Melbourne on August 14, 16 and 17 before leaving for Japan.

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Third favourite with the bookies behind stacked the United States and Canada teams, the Boomers will be well-served in the backcourt by Daniels, Giddey, and veteran Patty Mills. Giddey, 18 at the time, was left out of the Boomers' squad for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but since blossomed into a genuine NBA star with Oklahoma City.

Dante Exum, Josh Green, Joe Ingles and Matisse Thybulle offer Goorjian a play-making weaponry arguably greater than any Australia has previously possessed. Forwards Xavier Cooks, Jock Landale, Jack White, Duop Reath and Nick Kay round out the squad, with Landale (ankle) unlikely to play in the warm-up games but expected to be fit for the Cup opener.

Tokyo bronze medallists Reath, Kay and Goulding are the only members of the squad without NBA experience. The World Cup is being played in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, with the latter stages in Manila and the final on September 10.

With AAP

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