FIBA World Cup 2019: 5 non-Team USA teams with a chance to win gold
By Phil Watson
Australia
Give the Boomers a puncher’s chance of winning the gold medal at the FIBA World Cup, if only because of their win over Team USA.
However, their encore could have gone better.
Australia lost on Wednesday to Germany, 74-64, and oft-injured Andrew Bogut left the game in the fourth period after apparently tweaking his right ankle, something for the Boomers to be worried about in advance of their first-round opener on Sunday against Canada.
The Aussies will face a still challenge just to get out of Group H and into the second round. They lost an exhibition to the Canadians before splitting a pair of games with Team USA and will also have to deal with a Lithuanian team that is sixth in the FIBA World Rankings.
Australia does have a significant NBA presence, with Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs and Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the backcourt, Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz on the wing and big men Bogut, who was last with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, and Aron Baynes, now of the Phoenix Suns.
Mitch Creek had a pair of cameos with the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves last season, as well.
It’s an experienced group, with just one player — 23-year-old center Jock Landale — younger than 27.
Odds Shark has the Boomers at plus-4,000 to win — the seventh-best odds in the field — but that win over the U.S. puts them on the radar.