Nielsen has already announced his retirement from international play. Gibson and Worthington still have a role to play at international level. They'll never be stars, and that's ok. I would include them in the probables for now.

Gliddon?

Matthew Knight, Rhys Martin, Aaron Bruce, Todd Blanchfield.

Thoughts?

How about a game between these squads then?

Probables
PG Lisch (if available), Damian Martin, Gibson / Bruce
SG Markovic, Magden, Drmic
SF Newley, Broekhoff
PF Ogilvy, Motum
C Jawai, Maric / Andersen

Possibles
PG Exum, Hadziomerovic / Greenwood, Cadee / Norton
SG Blanchfield, Gliddon / Goulding
SF Ellis, Simmons, Bairstow / Jois
PF (Ater) Majok, Kickert
C (Mangok) Mathiang, Maker / (Dennis) Johnson

Pending fitness and availability, here is my take:

Locks
• Bogut
• Baynes
• Mills
• Dellavedova

Probables
• Andersen
• Newley
• Jawai
• Maric

Possibles
• Madgen
• Broekhoff
• Worthington
• Gibson
• Ogilvy
• Kickert
• Nevill
• Goulding
• Martin
• Motum
• Drmic
• Greenwood
• Johnson
• Gliddon
• Knight
• Markovic
• Cadee
• Majok

Development
• Bairstow
• Brandt
• Ellis
• Jois
• Norton
• Mathiang
• Malone
• Exum
• Simmonds
• Maker

I honestly don't think Gliddon is even close. I doubt he'll ever make the Boomers team.

No Ingles LC?

Norton or Blanchfield?

Oops...my bad I left out Ingles by mistake! And haters, he is a lock!!!

Gliddon at the least would be in a development spot, Blanchfield could be a probable or development as well.

Out of LC nice list I would probably throw Exum from possible to probable. Just on watching that Nike hoops thing he looked super impressive.

I believe Drmic, Motum and Broekhoff deserve serious consideration for fasttracking.

Markovic is still the great unknown for me. The stats say he should have been in a while ago but don't what's up with that situation.

Luke Schenscher...?

Barlow

Barlow is no longer on my radar for the Boomers...but you could argue he is a 'probable'...

Julian Khazzouh...?

The guys that mentioned Majok presumably mean Ater, but Majok Majok at Ball State is a potential roughie. As an aside, I don't know what his plans are for after college but coming from Perth hopefully the Wildcats are looking at him.

Also a guy like Dexter Kernich-Drew might be one for the future. He's posting modest numbers at WSU at the moment, but they're not really that much worse than some of the other college guys mentioned. He definitely has upside with his athleticism.

I certainly think Greenwood and Hadziamerovic have a way to go, their numbers are relatively modest in a mid-major conference, and neither have particularly unique abilities or x-factor.

I think in the future there could be a few names that jump out that people might not expect. For a number of reasons there are a lot of talented guys who don't go the traditional AIS route or state/national rep route.

Greenwood is unselfish maybe to a fault. Needs to get the shot going a bit more but is pretty solid in every area. One of those rebounding guard jason kidd types. I really hope he breaks out in his remaining two college seasons.

I would go and taking into consideration Andrew Bogut won't play for the Boomers ever again due to injuries and insurance.

C: Baynes & Jawai
PF: Maric & Kickert
SF: Ingles & Ryan Broekhoff
SG: Mills & Newley & Ben Simmions
PG: Dellavedova & Exum

That's 11 by my count and my only concern with this side would be the size. I would look to add one more big man as looking back on it, we may be very short in the big men department. We have very tall and athletic guards but the PF and C position gets small real quick once we get into a bit of foul trouble. I personally feel it will be a waste of time talking a NBL big man as they don't have the talent, size or ability to compete on the international stage.

As a country, we wasted years taking Borner, Stenstock, and co to WC and Olympic games and leaving players who needed the development at home. Only for it to be a waste of time and they didn't do a thing.

My criterion would include - you must be playing Division 1 NCAA or Europe. If you’re playing NBL, you won’t be making the side. Those days are long gone where an NBL player such as Gaze, Heal or Bradtke are long gone and now the selectors have to follow the socceroos and only select players who are playing at the highest level.

NO NBL player required.

I would go young and aim to win a medal in 6 or 8 years with a development squad. I feel Dante Exum and Ben Simmions should be fast tracked into the side and allowed to develop whist playing international basketball. With Mills and Delly, he can be the 3rd string point guard and over the next 36 months develop into that off guard or point guard that he should become.

Hey all, remember that Ryan Broekhoeff was the last guy cut from the London team in favour of PC!

Simmons is not yet ready to go up against men, but given a couple of years most probably.

Khazzouh has indicated he wants to reoresent Lebanon...

A bit harsh there, Joe. Vlahov, Bradtke and Longley all got to go to 1988 Olympics as 19 year olds. Heal was only 22 when he went to Olympics in 1992. Ronaldson and Reidy were 22 and 23 at the 1994 Worlds. Maher was only 23 at 1996 Olympics, where Jensen was 24 and McKinnon barely 20.

I think there's a pretty good history of talented but immature players being blooded early in the Boomers, over the last 30 years.

That said, I think a few Boomers were kept in teams one tournament too many but not at the expense of young, developing players. More at the expense of established players competing for the same spot. Keough and Smyth come to mind as examples. Sengstock may be another.

"you must be playing Division 1 NCAA or Europe. If you're playing NBL, you won’t be making the side."

Gotta say that's pretty worrying ignorance. Most Division 1 NCAA schools, and more or less all of the ones with well performing Australians, would struggle against NBL teams. If you think playing in the Horizon league is the "highest level", or at least a level above the NBL, you're sadly mistaken.

You grossly underestimate the difference in physicality/strength; transitioning to the international level would be easier if you had NBL or indeed European experience, rather than jumping straight out of some relatively small conference or mid-major school in the US.

The difference in physicality/strength is generally borne out when touring college teams have played professional NBL teams.

Granted if we had Australians playing at big schools like Louisville (Mathiang excluded) or Kansas State or whatever then sure that "criterion" might carry some weight but we don't.

Maric and Kickert should absolutely not be mentioned both are junk. I would take Ogilvy over them any day.

Also 'No NBL players allowed' idea is idiotic. If Cedric Jackson was Australian would you overlook him? As for Ben Madgen, probably wouldnt make my first team but deserves a look atleast in a camp.

I think when you add Exum/Simmons/Broekoff/Maker to whats already there, you have medal potential

I think in the next 2-10 years we will have our best balance of talent and chance at a medal ever.

Definite carry over players from London are;

Ingles
Mills
Baynes
Dellavedova
Andersen
Newley

The other six spots are up for grabs. We know Nielsen has retired from international play, and if healthy, Bogut comes straight in. So that leaves five spots. In my opinion, Barlow is done with international play, so his spot to should to Broekhoff, the last man cut from the London team. With our bigs, I think it is time to see what Jawai can do at this level, and I would pick him in front of Maric. The Boomers lacked a quality spot up shooter in London, and whilst Broekhoff would assist in this area, I would take Madgen for this role. His hustle and feistiness would be well received too. Depending on the starters, if we continue to go with Mills and Delly in the backcourt, then I believe we need a backup point guard. I would give this role to Damian Martin ahead of Gibson. Martin is an elite level defender, capable of slowing down any opposing guards. And in the last spot, I would give the nod to Exum. He'll be 19 by the 2014 World Cup, and will surely be ready to handle the role of being 12th man at a minimum.

So I guess based on the above, and assuming full health of all players which is very rare, my 2014 World Cup team would be;

Bogut
Andersen
Ingles
Mills
Dellavedova
Baynes
Jawai
Broekhoff
Newley
Martin
Madgen
Exum

I like that team except the glaring hole between our 2-3s and 4-5s. We will get exploited badly if we dont cover that. Worthington and Knight are two guys who have mobility and some shooting range, I would definitely have one of those two in.

I would also keep an eye on Andersen, who struggled through this season and only shot 37% in London. If he is dropping off we need to fast track a shooting big like Motum perhaps, because our lack of ability to spread the floor under Brown cost us.

Couldn't agree more with your comments paul. I was looking for a way to sneak Motum in there, and also found it difficult to leave Worthington out.

There is a very real chance that neither Bogut nor Andersen will play, so that will open up some other possibilities.

Yeah, for all the talk of medals with the announcement of Lemanis it really is hard to know what realistic expectations are until we see who'll play.

Bogut is obviously the key, with him anchoring the defence we can play the disruptive style that will give us a chance to go deep. His IQ is invaluable at both ends.

Agree with Motum to replace Bogut if unavailable, and Wortho to replace Andersen if he's out of form.

Still reckon Newley is no longer producing at the level we need, so I'd swap him with Drmic.

The best thing to come out of this forum is the options and depth we currently have, along with excitement over the future of some of our juniors.

The reality to all of this is, as paul mentioned above, Bogut is the key to our success. Without him, it will be very difficult to medal. Outside the USA, and perhaps Spain as well, I don't think any other nation in the world could medal without their best player.

I think Newley was underutilised by Brown as the Spurs-like system didnt really utilise a slashing SF. I reckon Lemanis will use him better, his defence and speed in the open court will be very important.

If Newley could consistently hit the three-point shot, he would be in our top five players. In fact, if he could consistently hit the three-point shot, he'd most likely be plying his craft in the NBA. Nonetheless, he's a lock for 2014 and 2016.

Locks for me
Bogut
Baynes
Mills
Ingles
Delly
Newley
Anderson
Wortho - Purely for hussle and toughness. Can play 3 spot.

New Replacements
Jawaii - Replaces Maric
Mottum - Replaces Neilson
Ben Simmons - Replaces Crawford
Exum - Replaces Gibbo

Only issue with that team theres no pure shooter. I would see us only running the main 9. Using Mottum, Simmons and Exum if needed.

Need a shooter? Get Broekhoff

I really believe Damian Martin's international career is over. His only chance of extending it would have been Bevo getting the job and being retained as a coaches pet.

With Lemanis getting the job it is more likely that Darryl Corletto might get a late career call up than Martin IMHO.

Why just one pure shooter? If he has an off day then we're screwed.
Most top European teams would have two or more good outside shooters on the court at any time.

Of all the players being put forward for the Boomers, most aren't reliable outside shooters. After Mills, Ingles, Delly there's daylight.
If we can't guarantee that we'll dominate inside then maybe we need to change the mix to replace the athletic or big old hands with some proven outside shooters. Fast-track Broekhoff, Drmic, Lisch (if available) and anyone else with a decent 3-point %. Have a shooting camp or something. ANYTHING to give us some reliable outside threats!

Bogut will be an unristricted F/A at the end of next season. Highly unlikely that he will play. Especially if he has not resigned with The Dubs or another club.

haha. I am glad my opinion is held with good esteem. I do try to keep myself in the know of all things Boomer's. I do like the idea.. my trouble with it would only be that when it comes to injuries etc (which just happen in most series) it could only be an Aussie injured. lol.

I do think it would be good preparation. 24 very hungry players trying to prove there worth. I have to agree with who the locks are..and yes I wouldnt involve them in this kind of series.

Then again, making 2 Australian squads could prove a distraction. the time made to do that could possibly be better used by having 1 team together gelling. Then again, when does Australia ever have the same team playing through the year? its food for thought I guess.