Josh Giddey is on an Olympic collision course with NBA teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with the Boomers learning who their opponents will be in the pool stage in Paris.
The Olympic men’s and women’s basketball draws were conducted in Switzerland on Wednesday morning AEDT, with the Boomers receiving no favours as they look to defend a historic bronze medal won in Tokyo three years ago.
The Boomers will play World Cup bronze medallists Canada, as well as qualifiers from two July tournaments that could include Greece, Slovenia or Spain in a stacked Games pool.
In the women’s competition, the Opals — ranked number three in the world — will play Canada, France and Nigeria, ranked fifth, seventh and 12th in the world respectively.
Canada’s men have not qualified for an Olympics since Sydney’s 2000 Games.
But they will be among the favourites after Oklahoma City Thunder weapon Gilgeous-Alexander led them to bronze at last year’s World Cup, toppling the US in the medal game.
The team will be brimming with NBA talent, with Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort and Dwight Powell all likely to suit up.
Giddey became the Boomers’ focal point at last year’s World Cup, leaving coach Brian Goorjian with some tough decisions ahead on how to best mix his emerging NBA talent with Patty Mills and Joe Ingles, who are set to play in a fifth Olympics.
Ben Simmons had flagged his desire to feature for the national team for the first time since 2013 but has since been ruled out of Brooklyn Nets’ NBA campaign to have back surgery for the second time in three years.
Bundled out in the quarterfinals in a disappointing Tokyo campaign, the Opals were impressive in qualifying for a 10th Olympics in February’s Brazil qualifying tournament.
Opals great Lauren Jackson revealed after that tournament she would not go to Paris, but the four-time Olympic silver medallist has since left the door ajar for what would also be a fifth Games campaign.
The Opals are chasing their sixth Olympic medal in Paris, having reached the podium in five consecutive Games between 1996 and 2012.
The Paris tournament runs from July 28 to August 11, with pool action in Lille before finals are played in the French capital.
AAP