Australia announces Olympic Games squad ahead of USA basketball showcase in Abu Dhabi

The last game of the showcase in Abu Dhabi will see Serbia facing the US inside Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on July 17. (Supplied)
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Updated 09 July 2024
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Australia announces Olympic Games squad ahead of USA basketball showcase in Abu Dhabi

  • The Australian Boomers squad includes eight members of the Tokyo Olympic bronze medal-winning team
  • Australia to face the US on July 15 and Serbia on July 16 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena

ABU DHABI: Australia have announced their final squad ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, with the nation calling on a host of the world’s best players. Before arriving in France, the talent-packed squad will take part in a pre-Games preparation camp in Abu Dhabi, organized by the USA Basketball Men’s National Team and featuring three high-profile exhibition games from July 15-17.

The Australian Boomers, ranked No. 5 in the world, are the 2022 FIBA Asia champions and include Tokyo 2020 bronze medalists. Their 2024 roster — featuring Patty Mills (captain), Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Will Magnay, and Jack McVeigh — includes eight players from the Tokyo squad.

The Boomers’ first game in the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi will be on July 15 against the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, which features 12 athletes with extensive experience. The team includes three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader LeBron James, who owns a pair of Olympic gold medals. In addition to Durant and James, the NBA’s all-time leader in career 3-pointers, Stephen Curry, will also be on the roster.

The Australians will be playing Serbia, ranked No. 4, on July 16. Serbia, which reached the finals of last year’s FIBA World Cup, recently announced their provisional squad, featuring current NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who was not part of their World Cup roster. Other key players on Serbia’s provisional roster include Vasilije Micic, Aleksej Pokusevski, Nikola Jovic, and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The last game of the showcase in Abu Dhabi will see Serbia facing the US inside Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on July 17.

All three games will tip off at 8 p.m. local time, and tickets are on sale now at etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae.


Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation

Updated 11 December 2025
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Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation

  • Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28
  • “I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC

LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.
“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.
“It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”
Some have criticized the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.
King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.
Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
Kyrgios, the former world number 13, said in September that women can’t return men’s serves and that he would beat Sabalenka without having to try 100 percent.
However, he said the match would increase respect between the men’s and women’s Tours.
“So I can’t do anything other than hope me and Aryna play our best tennis and, at the end of the day, whoever wins, that our handshake afterwards solidifies the union between males and females in the tennis world,” he said.