Exum talks Boomers future with Simmons, Giddey's NBA success and Ingles comeback / News - Basketnews.com

Dante Exum enjoyed breaking the curse in the major international competitions with the Australian national team. But after winning bronze in Tokyo Olympics, Boomers are not going to stop.

Josh Giddey

MIN:31.56PTS:12.53 (45.05%)REB:7.87As:6.4ST:0.94BL:0.36TO:3.21GM:53ProfileNBA2021/2022

They want gold in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics. To reach this target, they have new intriguing weapons.

"We won't let that stop us," Boomers agreed after a painful Tokyo semifinal loss against Team USA.

Australia was up by 15 in the second quarter, as Boomers were ready to handle Americans' biggest upset in almost 20 years. But they blew the lead in the third and came up short 78-97.

Boomers faced another potential failure again. Until Tokyo Olympics, Australians reached the semifinals four times, but all four campaigns ended up losing two games and going home without medals.

This time veterans Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, and Matthew Dellavedova couldn't handle such a painful scenario that would leave their hearts bleed for another four years.

Mills played the game of his life against Slovenia with Luka Doncic, and his 42-point, 9-assist performance carried Australia's national team to the first-ever Olympic podium.

Australians went off for an epic celebration that let to relish all the pressure after all those years chasing the medal in big competitions.

But young Boomers guns are eager to go further. Gold is their primary goal.

"It didn't start at the Tokyo Olympics," Exum said in BasketNews Talks. "It's been a few years now. Even when I first played in 2014 and we were in Spain playing in the World Cup. We knew we had a good team and that we could do something. That we could win a medal. But every time, we seem to come up short."

"We'd always do good, and it's just there was that one game that we would just lose," he admitted. "You saw that at the World Cup in China. Anyone in that tournament would argue that Australia should win a medal for sure. But they just happened to lose the last two games."

Matisse Thybulle

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"And I think going into Tokyo Olympics, it was just a determination. Not only from the new guys or the guys who hadn't been in the program as much. But just looking at Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, what it meant for them to put on their Boomers jersey to go out and represent the country," Exum added.

"Matisse Thybulle has never been a part of the program. Ask him about the Boomers now, and he'd tell you he's going to play every time he can. So it's just a different culture. It's a different, different way that we play and want to play. And yeah, it was just an amazing thing to be a part of."

"I can't wait for the World Cup next year. And then Paris Olympics. It's going to be exciting. Hopefully, we can get gold. That's the goal," Exum concluded.

Although the basketball world fell in love with the Boomers generation, including Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, and others, Australians will soon have more intriguing new guns.

The promising list starts with 19-year-old NBA rookie Josh Giddey. The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard averages 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in the best league in the world.

"He's been amazing," Exum said. "He's taken so many steps in his game. That was the one thing when he was around Boomers' campaign last summer. I told him, go out there. You know your strengths. You know what to do. So just go out there and play."

"He's been playing to his strengths. Him being a taller guard gives him the ability to do that," Exum added. "He's obviously the guy who's taking the biggest jump for sure."

Matisse Thybulle, 25, already established himself as one of the top NBA perimeter defenders.

There's the Dallas Mavericks sophomore Josh Green, who is 21. Jock Landale, 26, also fights for his role with the San Antonio Spurs.

On top of that, Ben Simmons, 25, still didn't suit up for Boomers in the Olympics or the World Cup.

"I've talked to Ben a lot about it (future). And yeah, he wants to play," Exum confirmed.

Ten years ago, Exum and Simmons won silver for Australia in the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship in Kaunas.

He understands what his friend has to go through right now, but Exum expects to see him with Boomers when the time is right.

"Different things go on in people's lives. I was injured coming into the Tokyo campaign. I've been injured way too much, so I just want to play. But you know, I think, there's a lot of decisions that go into it."

"Everyone who has talked to Ben and been around Ben knows that he wants to play. When the time is right, he'll play," Exum added.

Veterans still should be there for one last shot at Olympic gold.

Patty Mills will turn 36 by the last day of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Joe Ingles, who suffered torn ACL, will be 35.

"After everything I've been through, I never want to see anyone get injured," Exum talked about Ingles. "He's been healthy for a lot of his career. I know he's had some problems, but he played a record amount of games in a row. So it's something that he's definitely not used to."

"It's kind of sad that this is the way, you know, he kind of had to get traded and everything. I know he loves the Jazz. I was there with him. But I know he's going to come back stronger than ever."

"He's going to be ready for the World Cup. He's going to be ready for the Olympics. And yeah, it's going to be fun."

Watch the highlights of the interview here:

For the entire conversation, listen to the audio:

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