Delly forcing his way into Olympic plans

Matthew Dellavedova was a shock omission from the Boomers’ 2023 FIBA World Cup roster, but head coach Brian Goorjian believes the Melbourne United guard is a strong chance to force his way back into this year’s Olympic team.

After playing a key role in Australia’s bronze medal triumph in Tokyo, he entered the World Cup camp off the back of a season with the Sacramento Kings where he suffered a serious finger injury ahead of the camp.

The 33-year-old’s preperation for this year’s major tournament is vastly different than the end of his time with the Kings. Dellavedova has just played a crucial role in United’s run to the Championship Series and appeared in 30 games across the campaign.

Goorjian says that match sharpness will be crucial to Dellavedova’s hopes of earning a major tournament recall.

“I can’t guarantee anything but he’s going to get a good look and he had a great, great year in the NBL,” Goorjian said on The Back Page.

“His job in the NBA [in 2023] was the coach recognised he’s a great teammate, he wasn’t going to play, just bring that tenacity, that club-ship, that team-ship, and the coach knew he could do that but he didn’t play.

“When he comes to us, you have a whole year where you don’t play.

“He was good, but now he plays in the NBL, he plays all year, the season and the games are riding on his shoulders to perform to win the championship.

“Even at his age he’s taken a step, just a little quicker, his body is a little better and his skills are at an all-time high.”

Australia’s World Cup campaign indicated the beginning of a changing of the guard from the Boomers’ previous Olympic success.

Dellavedova was omitted from the bronze medal-winning roster alongside the likes of veterans Aron Baynes and Nathan Sobey, while injury to Jock Landale handed Duop Reath and Xavier Cooks more responsibility.

Young guards Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels also became linchpins of the team’s backcourt despite it being their first ever international tournament.

Goorjian says he believes this new group of talent could become even better than the Tokyo roster that made Australian basketball history.

“When you look at the Boomers at the World Cup, a lot of change and expectation is a hard combination,” he said.

“It wasn’t an extension of rose gold, we’d done that and the ceiling of this team is higher but there are a lot of new faces and a lot of youth.

“That defensive toughness and physicality he (Dellavedova) has, it was missing.”