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Title : Why the Boomers' best-ever squad may still struggle at World Cup
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Why the Boomers' best-ever squad may still struggle at World Cup

Related Story: NBA All-Star Ben Simmons commits to the Boomers in World Cup boost

With a squad boasting nine NBA players, the Boomers have set lofty goals for September's World Cup in China.

Who's in the squad:

• Aron Baynes, Todd Blanchfield, Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Cameron Gliddon, Chris Goulding, Joe Ingles, Nicholas Kay, Mitch McCarron, Patty Mills, Brock Motum, Nathan Sobey, Ben Simmons, Jonah Bolden, Deng Adel, Mitch Creek, Jock Landale

The Australian men's team has never won a medal at World Championship or Olympic level.

But senior squad member Joe Ingles is convinced the current crop of players can truly usher in a golden era.

"The group that we've got, we're really excited about. We're confident that we can do something really special and that is to bring a gold medal home," he said.

The biggest boost to Australia's stocks came just a week ago when Ben Simmons committed to the World Cup campaign. His inclusion gives Australia a world-class star, something the Boomers have never had in the past.

On paper, Australia's World Cup squad is the strongest in its history, yet the global growth of basketball means a medal is far from certain.

Most teams at the tournament will boast at least one established NBA player and the Boomers have found themselves drawn in a group of death.

Here's how the Boomers' main rivals stack up.

Canada

Just like the Boomers, Canada is team on the rise at international level.

The Canadians have been drawn alongside Australia, Lithuania and Senegal in group H, with only two teams to advance.

Depending on the availability of players, Canada will likely run out a starting five of NBA stars. Canada's hopes of progressing will rest on the shoulders of young guards Jamal Murray, Andrew Wiggins and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, all of whom start for their respective NBA teams.

The Boomers will learn more about Canada when they face off in two warm-up matches in Perth in August.

Lithuania

Few teams are as difficult to beat at international level as Lithuania. For a nation of under three million people, Lithuania has always been a basketball powerhouse.

Most of the squad is likely to come from European-based players, however Lithuania will field a huge front court featuring NBA stars Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis.

With Senegal expected to struggle in the group, the Boomers will be targeting this as a must-win game to advance from Group H. Perhaps the Boomers can take some confidence out of victories over Lithuania in two of their three meetings at World Cup and World Championship level.

Spain

This once-great basketball nation has seen its fortunes decline in recent years. Since its surprise victory at the 2006 World Championships, Spain has failed to reach the semi-finals of this event.

Spain will be missing its best player of the last decade, centre Pau Gasol, through injury. As important as Gasol was for Spanish basketball, his brother Marc — who has been starring for Toronto in the NBA playoffs — is now the far superior player.

Spain could call on the services of veteran NBA point guard Ricky Rubio and Gasol's Raptors teammate Serge Ibaka, however the medal-winning window for Spain may have closed.

Serbia

Serbia is high on the list of teams most will want to avoid in the knockout phase of the tournament.

The centrepiece of the Serbian team is Nikola Jokic, a 24-year-old seven-foot centre who led the Denver Nuggets to the second-best record in the NBA's Western Conference.

Jokic is a man mountain able to dominate at both ends of the floor. He will be joined by sweet shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Sacramento Kings and former LA Clipper Milos Teodosic.

The Serbians are the reigning Olympic silver medallists, having hammered the Boomers in the semi-finals in Rio.

United States

Forget all the noise from every other nation. Yes, the gap between the US and the rest of the world has closed but only the foolhardy would bet against Team USA winning another world title.

The 2006 edition of the World Championships served as the wake-up call USA basketball needed. Not since that bronze medal performance has the United States been defeated at international level.

LeBron James has ruled himself out but the squad will still be stacked with NBA superstars and could include the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Steph Curry.

Australians will get to see the US team up close when they arrive here for a series of warm-up games against the Boomers and Canada in Melbourne in August.

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