Boomers at the Olympics: Everything you need to know

It was one of the most memorable moments in the nation's basketball history; the incredible performance from Patty Mills, the Boomers' first ever Olympic medal and the ultimate sign of how far the game had come in Australia.

2020's rose gold medal in Tokyo will never be forgotten. It's going to be hard to top.

But in Paris, the Australian Boomers want more. More medals, more wins against the best in the world, more glory. 

The Boomers' Olympic campaign tips off on July 27 against Spain, with Australians at home and abroad sure to be gripped by every moment. 

Here's all you need to know as we get ready to make history once again. 

What is the Boomers' best ever finish at the Olympics?

The Boomers won the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the country's best ever finish.

In all, Australia has played in 16 Olympic tournaments, including 2024, finishing fourth on on four occasions, before claiming that elusive medal in Tokyo.

Patty Mills and Joe Ingles celebrate at Tokyo 2020.

How have the Boomers' preparations gone?

After a pair of wins on home soil against China, albeit somewhat unconvincingly, the Boomers took some time to get going against Team USA in an Abu Dhabi exhibition match. Once they fired though, it was with a bang, running a team full of NBA superstars to within just six points.

From there, it's been an incredibly encouraging run to Paris for the Australians, with wins over Puerto Rico, Serbia and France in recent weeks. 

Patty Mills struggled somewhat in the early games but has bounced back to great effect, Josh Giddey is in fine form, and the likes of Jack McVeigh, Jock Landale and Josh Green have all shown why they are so highly regarded.

In many ways, the Boomers couldn't have had a better preparation, with only a Dante Exum finger injury putting a sour note on the win over the French.

Jack McVeigh.

Which teams are in the Boomers' Olympic group?

Group A has been dubbed the 'Pool of Death' by basketball pundits, with Spain (ranked second in the world), Canada (seventh) and Greece (14th) looming large for the fifth-ranked team from Australia.

There's star power in every squad and it will be an almighty task for the Boomers just to proceed past the group stage. 

From the Hernangomez brothers in Spain, to Giannis Antetokounmpo with Greece and a raft of NBA talent in Canada, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray and RJ Barrett, it's a group filled with game-winners. 

Andrew Gaze said: "It's the toughest group certainly, but there's optimism in the fact that if we play really well and get one or two wins, we will have a friendlier matchup in the next round."

>> Pick the podium & win

Giannis Antetokounmpo.

When do the Boomers play?

The group matches have been locked in for the Boomers, with an opening-game win against Spain absolutely vital to their chances.

Australia (92) v Spain (80)
Saturday, July 27, 7pm AEST
>> Game Report | Scores and stats

Canada (93) v Australia (83)
Tuesday, July 30, 9:30pm AEST
>> Game Report | Scores and stats

Australia (71) v Greece (77)
Friday, August 2, 9:30pm AEST
>> Game report | Live scores and stats

Australia (90) v Serbia (95) - Quarter Final
Tuesday, August 6, 10.30pm AEST
>> Scores & stats

How do the Boomers advance?

For the Boomers to go through to the next round, they'll need to finish in the top two in their group, or ranked as one of the two highest third-placed teams across the three groups. In all, eight teams will advance from the first round. 

The quarter-finals will be held on August 6 and 7, should Australia get through, then semi-finals (four teams remaining), with the bronze medal match to be held on August 10 and the battle for gold on August 11. 

Dyson Daniels.

Who's on the Boomers' team?

The Australian team was officially announced on July 8, after a 17-man squad was narrowed to just 12 to travel to Paris. 

Among the unlucky players to miss out, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, DJ Vasiljevic, Jack White and Matisse Thybulle were all overlooked.

The final 12
- Dyson Daniels
- Matthew Dellavedova
- Dante Exum
- Josh Giddey
- Josh Green
- Joe Ingles
- Jock Landale
- Nick Kay
- Will Magnay
- Jack McVeigh
- Patty Mills
- Duop Reath

The Boomers' 12-man squad.

Which NBL players are representing Australia?

Nine of the 12 players on the Boomers' roster have spent time in the NBL during their careers.

Will Magnay and Matthew Dellavedova are on NBL25 rosters with Tasmania and Melbourne United respectively, while McVeigh has just departed the JackJumpers, signing a deal with the Houston Rockets. 

Who's coaching the Boomers?

A name hugely familiar to Australian basketball fans, six-time NBL champion and six-time Coach of the Year Brian Goorjian will lead the Boomers at the Olympics.

Goorjian will coach at his fourth Olympics, having been in charge in 2004, 2008 and the memorable 2020 campaign, which saw the Australian team win bronze. 

Brian Goorjian.

Who's saying what about the Boomers?

Andrew Bogut on Australia's chances: "I’m looking forward to seeing how they (the Boomers) come out and play, but we have a chance to do something special I think, just with the way we’ve got a gritty, long, athletic group defensively that can cause some problems.

"Gold medal is always the goal. I think a short-term goal in this tournament for us is getting out of this group alive because it’s a tough group, but it’s get to the top four and then it’s a free roll, right?"

Goorjian on Australia's chances: "We know we’re in an absolute s—fight in our group, so all we can do right now is control being the best version of us."

Mills on Australia's "grit and toughness": "There's maybe times where we lose sight a little bit of our identity but I think this group really has it.

"If we can hang our hat there, that's where we believe that we throw punches with the best of the heavyweights internationally. We've just got to keep putting one step in front of the other and keep getting better every day."

Goorjian on Patty Mills: "He came into this thing physically in the best shape I’ve seen him, with the motivation to play well and for us to medal."

Jock Landale on the Spain matchup: "You hear about it (2019 World Cup loss) but only really understand how much goes into it when you lose an opportunity to win a medal ... the sting in that locker-room was unbearable.

"I want to get that W for the sake of the old guys, some of my best mates, but that's just the first step in the road but an important one."

Jock Landale.

How to watch & follow the Boomers' games

The Boomers' Olympic matches will be available via the Nine Network, with highlights on-demand via 9Now. 

Stan Sport will broadcast all events live from across the 19 days in Paris. 

NBL Media will be providing updates and stats via its social media channels on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Download the FREE NBL App for game reports, live scores, insights and access to the The Gold Standard podcast, featuring Andrew Bogut and Brad Newley.

Josh Giddey.

A little bit extra...

Before we depart, here's some interesting additional tidbits about the Australian Boomers at the Olympics:

Did you know? Andrew Gaze is the second all-time leading scorer at the Olympics, with 789 points for the Boomers. He sits only behind Brazilian Oscar Schmidt, with 1,093 points. Incredibly, Mills sits seventh overall, with 501 points heading into the tournament. 

Did you know? Mills' 26.8 points a game at the 2020 Tokyo Games puts him in the top five all-time for scoring average at an Olympic tournament.

Did you know? The name 'Boomers' comes from the colloquial term for an adult male kangaroo.

Did you know? Mills and Joe Ingles will join elite company in Paris, representing the Boomers at a fifth Olympics, alongside two legends, Gaze and Australian Opals star Lauren Jackson.

Joe Ingles, Lauren Jackson and Patty Mills.