What it means to be a Boomer

The special nature of the Boomers culture has often been cited as a point of difference for those lucky enough to be involved in the national team, and former representative David Barlow has opened up on just how special it is.

Barlow was a fixture at international level for Australia throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s. He was a key part of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic squads, and the 2010 World Cup.

“To be part of the Boomers is something so special and I’m so grateful to have been able to do that, and to do that for such a long time with that group of people,” Barlow said on The Extra Pass Podcast.

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“The pressure and anxiety, I don’t think those are the emotions that spring to mind when you talk about playing with the Boomers, it’s about [the] absolute gratitude of being able to spend any time with that group.

“I was really lucky early in my career because I started playing for the Boomers when I was 22 or something, then I was a mainstay on the Boomers teams and went to every major tournament from that point.”

After three major tournaments, disaster struck. Injury and unavailability forced Barlow out of a rapidly improving side, and his fight to return to the top level of international basketball lasted over half a decade.

“Everyone’s body is different – my body playing in the European season for ten months and then playing in the off-season, my body broke down and I was essentially riddled with injuries. I was then essentially not good enough to be on the Boomers,” he continued.

“Then it was taken away from me and it was never coming back. That’s not to say I took it for granted, but it was a part of my life where I was like ‘I’m on the national team’, and then I got hurt and it was gone.”

Barlow was afforded an international swansong though, and headed to one final tournament with Australia at the 2019 World Cup, at age 35.

Barlow battles with America's Kobe Bryant an an exhibition game ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I worked really hard to get back to full health and to a point where I thought I was good enough to be on the national team and had success here (Melbourne United) winning games and championships.

“After seven years of not being on the national team – I think I was deserving of a shot – but things fell my way and I was asked to re-join the team for the 2019 World Cup. I never took it for granted but it was just part of my life, and it was taken away and I came to the realisation of how grateful I should have been to be a part of those teams.

“After such a long time, when I got the call from the head coach at the time, Andrej Lemanis telling me I was back on the team, I was in the car. For whatever reason my wife was filming that, and I was in tears, because I couldn’t believe I was back on the national team.”

Australia had long been laying dormant as a potential force on the world basketball stage, and Barlow’s final World Cup campaign with the side saw the Boomers explode onto the international scene.

A double-overtime to Spain at the semi-final stage took the wind out of the side though, and Australia couldn't quite tally its first international medal, following an eight-point loss to France in the third-place playoff.

Spain went on to dominate Argentina in the final to win the tournament.

Australia's 2019 World Cup roster. Barlow is far right in the back row.

“I went to that 2019 World Cup, and we were really close to actually going to the gold medal game,” Barlow said. “I barely played but it was the best team, best environment, best everything. It was phenomenal.

“We were about to go to a gold medal game and we would have had a good chance, for sure, but that’s the nature of sport. Things happen.

“The Boomers are elite pretty much in every way. Right now, what a team – and I can’t wait to see them, but I’m more excited for who they are, and I almost want to say who we are, because I feel like I’m part of that.”

Barlow’s contributions to the national programs were recently recognised ahead of the ‘Boomers vs World’ campaign.

The former NBL and international star was one of a host of players from various eras of Australian basketball to receive their Akubra from the program.

The awarding of the Akubra to all players to have represented Australia at a major basketball tournament is a relatively new initiative. Barlow's hat adorns the number 107 - which indicates his status as the 107th player to represent his nation at a World Cup or Olympics.

Melbourne forward Brad Newley, two-time NBL MVP Chris Anstey, 1985 NBL MVP Ray Borner, Adelaide 36ers legend Brett Maher, current San Antonio assistant coach Matt Nielsen and 1964 Olympian John Heard were among the other players recognised.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Having the opportunity to put the Green and Gold on, understand what it means to be a Boomer and have that pride every time you step out on the floor.”<br><br>Our very special Akubra presentation from current Boomer legends to past Boomer legends ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StrongerTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StrongerTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/1FPAsNu7ci">pic.twitter.com/1FPAsNu7ci</a></p>&mdash; ABPA (@AusBasketballPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AusBasketballPA/status/1691377526655082497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I don’t have my jerseys displayed or whatever,” Barlow said. “My home is my home for me and my family – so where I’m going to put it I’m not quite sure.

“But I know for damn sure I will cherish it for my whole life.”

Australia’s World Cup campaign opens against Finland on Friday night, live on ESPN from 6pm AEST.