- Josh Giddey confident Australia can upset Team USA
- Several NBA superstars represent the United States in Paris
- But the Australian highlighted where the United States is weakest.
Olympic Rookie Josh Giddey believes the Boomers have never had a more legitimate claim to gold at the Games, and questions whether the U.S. all-star squad will succeed in Paris.
The Boomers, bronze medallists in Tokyo three years ago, begin their 2024 campaign on Saturday in Lille against world No. 2 Spain.
Spain has the edge over Australia at major tournaments, winning their bronze medal match in Rio by one point in 2016 and then prevailing in double overtime in their 2019 World Cup semifinal.
Tough tasks remain against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Canada and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece, with Australia needing to finish in the top two of their group to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals.
Beyond that, star-studded lineups await, none more decorated than a U.S. team loaded with Games first-timers Steph Curry, standard-bearer LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and Joel Embiid.
Australia led the United States by 11 points in the Tokyo semifinal before a 20-point run eliminated the Boomers.
They return in much more accredited attire for a tournament billed as the largest gathering of basketball talent in Olympic history.
But Giddey, still only 21, believes his team can handle them all.
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“If you look at the paper, they’re the most talented team, it’s no secret,” Giddey said of the United States.
‘But the difference is that these guys have never played together, whereas a lot of these other countries have had a core that has been together for years.
‘We are confident that we are united as a unit and that we can face anyone in the world.
“I know we have a group of guys that will be ready for it.”
The Boomers’ previous form backs up that confidence, a six-point loss to the U.S. followed by solid wins against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia, Puerto Rico and then hosts France, who boast Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert in an experienced squad.
Point guard Giddey, who will move to Chicago from Oklahoma City next season, and starting center Jock Landale (Houston) have blossomed as a duo and are key if the Boomers want to advance to the final phase in Paris.
Both men have dominated the NBA arena when given the keys, but were relegated to lesser roles last season.
Asked if they were playing with chips on their shoulders, Landale agreed to a dollar for each bet.
“Yes and no,” Landale said.
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‘Whenever you’re given the opportunity to be a key part of the team, you want to make the most of it.
‘But this is not the environment to really worry about that.
‘Right now we are playing a more important match, to bring home something better than a bronze.
“We feel like we have the team to put it together and we’re in a position to do it, so it would be a disservice to the group if I worried about that.”
Landale said Giddey was among the best passers he had ever played with.
“As a big man, that’s the scenario you always dreamed of,” he said.
“He’s reaching his full potential and it feels like he’s on the verge of making a big step.”
