The team will probably be underwhelming for a lot of ticket-buyers who expect to see someone like Durant, Curry, Lebron etc. I am not sure how many casual fans know a lot of these guys, as talented as they are. I'd be hoping Curry or Durant come in as well just to add that name recognition or there could be some refunds on some seats.

But as a Boomers fan, this line up doesn't strike fear in my heart. They're very, very, VERY good but not insurmountable. The Boomers core has had about a decade together now, and even though they're throwing in some big pieces here they're going to have more continuity of structure than Team USA who will only come to know eachother for the month preceding the games.

A team that I think is as scary as Team USA right now is probably Serbia, who've just confirmed that they have full availability for their team. In Serbia you're going to have a team that is ridiculously talented PLUS has the international experience together to back it up. Team USA and Serbia are firming up as Australia's biggest threats to a first ever medal. Canada may be tough but I'd take Serbia over them in a heart beat.

A place where the US looks a little 'average' is at forward. I mean, I might be wrong, but didn't Kevin Love just finish up a stinker of a season?

I can not see that side winning gold.

International Basketball has moved on and Team USA will have to play some spectacular basketball to even get to the gold medal game.

I think the Boomers will snag one of the two games in Melbourne.

I'm not sure that's the final roster. I heard rumours some time ago of Kuzma and Tatum joining the Select Team (for scrimmages) rather than the training camp roster.

Looking at the 2018-20 possibilities, the lack of Griffin, DeRozan, Westbrook and others is concerning. Considering its an opportunity to market their brands in China, I'm expecting a potent squad. KD's been intentionally placed on the Team USA promo's with some degree of confidence he's playing. I'd be surprised if Anta didn't compel Klay to turn up.

Still spoilt for choice
Could start with Lillard, Harden, Tatum, A Davis and Drummond. Or a lineup similar
Imagine a bench with Mitchell, McCollum, Eric Gordon, Aldridge etc ..
Comfortable gold favourites.

USA players have the advantages of skill and athleticism and experience of playing long seasons under pressure to perform, even if they take a few games to adjust to FIBA rules.

Players from Serbia, France, and the other Euro powers have the advantage of playing tough games often and under FIBA rules. For some of them, basketball is their number 1 sport.

Players from Australia, on the other hand, are limited in their skills, athleticism, experience and the pressure of having to carry their teams. Ben Simmons stands out as the general exception - most of our guys are bench players.

So WHAT do we have that' s going to take us to the final ahead of the other teams?

We've got guys who've won NBA championships, so that counts for something. And only a handful of our guys will be NBL.

But having said that, after seeing Serbia's squad I've become a bit less optimistic about our chances. We will definitely be among the best teams in the tournament but we will need a touch of luck to medal.

Just to give myself an out I will be looking at this as a build up to the Olympics. We have never performed well at the World Championships so getting to the final four would be an unbelievable achievement. It is definitely possible with out squad but not guaranteed.

Guess what you need to be able to do in Int'l basketball you need to be able to shoot sorry Ben Simmons. That US roster is plenty to take gold James Harden and Lillard literally unstoppable add in Beal if you have any idea about basketball and don't know these guys then you might be an idiot.

I don't think Ben is going to be suddenly useless because he doesn't have a three point shot. You have to remember that the NBA and international three point lines are very different. And you also have to remember that teams have tried to force Ben to have to shoot in the NBA and he's still plodded along just fine - averaging damn near a triple-double for the entire season.

Let's not be defeatists about Ben. He will be able to defend multiple positions, will get the ball up the floor, make excellent passes and score in bunches inside. But he just might not be the prototypical International guard and we might have to look to other players to do that.

Makes it sound as though a -prototypical International guard- is a must to do well.

Anyway, are we targeting gold or just to be better, prototypically? Ben is anything but prototypical. He's too tall to be a guard, can't shoot a jumper. Should we look elsewhere, so that we can be prototypical or use his phenominal antiprototypicallity to get the best result we can?

I say let the world say, "Shit, do they really have Simmonds at the point? Our prototypical guards won't be able to handle him!" Boom Boom(ers).

Glass half full or....!

Well, all I know is when I play 2K19, I'm using Ben to back 'prototypical' guards in the paint and abuse them. Guarding Ben man-to-man with a guard is essentially impossible and will cause opposition defenses to have to do things they're not used to, which is an advantage no matter how you slice it.

The training camp has been officially announced and there has been a lot of screeching about it. People haven't seemed to put two and two together, and noticed that no one from the NBA Finals was mentioned in it. And why? Because Pop isn't going to ask these guys at this time about their availability. I expect at least someone from Klay, Durant, Curry and Kawhi to play. Can tickets be refunded if they don't? Not that I'd personally refund but I worry many would.

Any combination of those 20 guys will rightfully go in as favourites.

Australia making a semi final would be a huge acheivement since we've never done that at World Cup/Championships level. Some people are underestimating how difficult our group is too. No time for slow starts. Our team will have to perform from day 1. The squad the Boomers have will certainly be capable, but it isn't a foregone conclusion.

They got some sick team and there is nobody to stop them.
I think everybody understand that they don't have any chance.