RTL Today – Giddey and Mills lead Australia’s NBA-heavy Olympic basketball adventure

Josh Giddey and veteran Patty Mills are among eight NBA stars tasked with improving on Australia’s bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

Mills of the Miami Heats and Joe Ingles of the Minnesota Timberwolves are both playing their fifth Games in Paris. They bring a wealth of experience to the 12-man roster.

They are joined by a group of young talents, led by 21-year-old Giddey (Chicago Bulls) and Josh Green (Charlotte Hornets).

“Making my debut in Paris is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid and I can’t wait to get out on the court in front of my family and friends who made this journey possible for me,” said Giddey, who recently transferred from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“To be a part of the Boomers’ legacy, that’s it. We’ve got a great group, we know what we need to do and we’re just ready to dive in.”

The group includes eight bronze medalists from the Tokyo Olympics, but Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Matisse Thybulle was a surprise.

The selection committee instead favored Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Matthew Dellavedova (Melbourne United), Dante Exum (Dallas Mavericks) and Green for the defensive wing positions.

Australia lost to the dominant United States in the semi-finals in Tokyo three years ago, but beat Slovenia in the third-place play-off thanks to Mills’ 42 points.

The Boomers are drawn in Group A in Paris, where they will face Canada and two teams who have yet to qualify.