http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs-kyrie-irving-won-t-play-for-australia-in-olympics-holding-out-for-usa-in-2016-1.268755

there goes any chance of any success...bogut injured, no kyrie..patty not even playing in a league and the euro-based australian ballers putting up unimpressive numbers

I'm not sure why people got there hopes up so much for Kyrie playing for Australia. Yes, there was a serious chance that he would, but we were always going to be his second option, and rightly so.

Irving was only using Australia as a back up plan. So i say, stuff him. He's not Australian.

Bogut will be healthy come Olympic time.

I totally agree with natwhereyouat. We were Irving's back up plan. And that's ok.

We need to move forward with our squad that we've been building over the past decade. London is our best chance to medal since 2000 in Sydney. Everything going well Bogut should be back to full fitness for the games.

Also Australia has a lot of talent. More than people think...

Bogut, Mills, Jawai, Dellavedova, Gibson, Ingles, Bruce, Martin, Lisch, Newley, Nielsen, Crawford, Andersen, Maric, Barlow, Worthington, Redhage, Khazzouh, Steindl, Johnson, Bose etc.

There's a solid team in there somewhere.

Aussies ununderperforming in Europe??? What about Andersen who has been in almost career-best form on one of the best teams in Europe?

Ingles getting decent minutes off the bench on arguably the best team in Europe?

Barlow has been starting in the best European national league.

Jawai has been inconsistent, but has shown he can put up great numbers on a strong European team playing in Euroleague.

Just to get me started...

I think we will be very good if Bogut plays and if so, we have an outside shot at top 4. Top 8 should be our immediate goal...

Well said LC. Hear, hear!

And also well said natwhereyouat!

Finally we can all get back to our lives!!!!!

Don't quite understand why Markovic is never mentioned here. Leads the Adriatic League in assists, though I think he may be injured at the moment. When considering which guards to take to London people seem to only mention Mills, Dellavedova, Gibson and Martin.

+1 Jez

Great point Jez.

I like Markovic over Gibson, as I think the Boomers really need a back up PG who can create for others and be a pass-first player.

the euro-based aussie may be in a good league or playing for a good team but most aren't putting up MVP numbers (dave andersen has been putting up good numbers)..in fact most are unimpressive numbers (even factoring in the euro style game)

some stats from recent games

Brad Newley had 1p on 0/3, 3r, and 2to in 17mins
AJ Ogilvy had 2p on 1/3 and 3r
Nathan Jawai had 1p on 0/3, 2r, 2f and 2to in 10mins
Brad Newley played 12mins for no shot attempts, 3a, 2r, 2s and 3f
Joe Ingles 5p on 2/3, 3a and 2r in 21mins
Brad Newley had 4p on 1/4 in 15mins
Matt Nielsen had 4p on 1/4 and 3r in 19mins
Joe Ingles had 0p on 0/2 and 4a in 10mins
Brad Newley had 6p on 2/5 and 3r in 24mins
Joe Ingles had 0p on 0/1, 2a and 1r in 4mins
Brad Newley had 2p on 1/2, 1a, 1r and 2to in 19mins
Joe Ingles picked up 1to in 3mins
Joe Ingles went 0/3 and had a steal in 8mins

(disclosure..I am a fan of these players and have a great amount of respect for them as athletes..just disappointing stats)

Damn. Hopefully he doesn't make the US team in 2016 and than come backs and regrets giving up 2 chances at playing at the olympics.

Irving just shot himself in the foot, Chris Paul, Derick Rose, Russel Westbrook, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo are all miles ahead of him. Anyone see the last two guys numbers in their last games lol.

If he's real real lucky he may get to sit on the bench

He's never gonna have Rose and Westbrook's explosiveness, or rondo's defense, or paul or d-will's playmaking. His only hope is to keep developing that outside jumper we saw in the rookie game

Anon #353227, this will be the first Boomers Olympic team we've ever produced where most of the players have been based overseas, primarily in Europe, so it's very difficult to tell how their form in those competitions will translate into their performance at the games.

Don't write us off just yet!

Mystro, yep, + John Wall, Jeremy Lin (?), Tyreke Evans... a lot of competition there.

not to mention all the PG's coming through the draft in the future that he'll have to also compete with

I watched Andersen live a couple of weeks ago (Milano v Siena, Cup Semi Final). Was best on court by a mile. On fire in Italy ATM.