JackJumpers' Olympic pride

Scott Roth has heaped praise on Olympians Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay, saying their selection to the Australian Boomers is a massive moment for the Tasmania JackJumpers.

McVeigh and Magnay have built a strong bond as teammates at the JackJumpers, with coach Roth driving a strong culture that has helped the duo reach their full potential.

Coming off a historic NBL championship, McVeigh and Magnay’s stock continues to grow after their selection to the Boomers Olympic team and Roth believes the significance of the moment for Tasmania can’t be understated.

Dreams coming true ✨

🎥: @basketballaus IG/nelsonkahlervisuals IG/australianboomers pic.twitter.com/90v9mJlNec

— NBL (@NBL) July 8, 2024

“It's huge. The announcement was really, really exciting to hear, the emotion that those guys showed in the video that was taken when they got accepted is incredible,” Roth said.

“For the organisation and all the people behind the scenes that have worked very, very hard for this, it's a big moment for this club, and it's a big moment for the state.

“Great for our young kids who aspire to be Olympians and to have these two guys wearing Boomers jerseys is going to be fantastic for us. It's an incredible achievement by my coaching staff, who’ve done all the hard work for three years with those guys.

“Both those are just remarkable stories and really exemplifies what the JackJumpers are about. When Magnay found out the first thing he said, he asked about Jack McVeigh … so that is just a story in itself … super proud.”

Magnay has battled several injury issues and setbacks to reach this point, while McVeigh has enjoyed a rise from little used NBL role player to one of the best players in the country.

While both stories are different, they’re both just as inspiring and are a credit to Tasmania’s strong development culture, according to Roth.  

“The guys that really go unnoticed for me is (JackJumpers Head of High Performance) Ryan Carroll and (JackJumpers High Performance Manager – Strength & Conditioning) Harrison Gillott who really are instrumental in Magnay's recovery over these last three years and battling through these injuries,” Roth said.

“They've been with him every step of the way to get him on the court.

“Jack's on the other end of it, a guy that three years ago not many teams really wanted. We had belief in him, and I had belief in what he could do. He is self-made.

“He just believed in himself. He sang his song, and everyone wanted to hear about everything he said, and he kept singing out what he was going to do and what he was going to be, and he made it come true, which is an incredible story in itself.

“I think our development program is the best in Australia, and it really goes down to our coaches and our staff and our organisation.”

Roth wouldn’t comment on what roles he predicts his players will play at the Olympics, putting his trust and faith in them delivering whatever Brian Goorjian needs them to do.

“They’ll play wherever. They’re plug and play, you just put them on the floor, and they’ll figure out what they need to get done,” he said.

The JackJumpers could have three Olympians if Majok Deng makes the South Sudanese roster, something Roth is hoping becomes a reality.