Mills in Boomer warning DOUBLE DRIBBLE
BASKETBALL Australia must cash in on “the country’s most marketable sporting team” to meet the demands of the Boomers after stalwart Patty Mills’s ominous World Cup warning.
That’s the opinion of twotime Olympian and former Gold Coast Blaze star Mark Worthington, who can remember washing his own uniform and sleeping with his legs hanging off the bed in his time with the Boomers.
San Antonio Spurs star Mills, who Worthington regards as the “flagship guy” of Australian basketball, unloaded on Basketball Australia yesterday.
He said their failure to address “basic needs” – believed to be related to accommodation, extra support staff, nutrition and tournament logistics – have led to “legitimate concerns” from NBA All-Star and Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, who is yet to commit to the World Cup.
Australia are yet to win an international men’s basketball medal but Mills is adamant gold at this year’s World Cup in China and Tokyo 2020 – his fourth Olympics campaign – is within reach for what he rates as Australia’s best team yet.
The US preferred a private cruise ship to the crowded Olympic Village during the 2016 Rio Games but Worthington is sure the current Boomers aren’t that precious.
And he respected Mills for “looking after the next crop” by biting his tongue until now.
“His voice carries a lot of weight and he’s talking about professionalism,” Worthington said. “It’s nothing to do with pay cheques.
“He just wants the best opportunity to win, not just any medal, but gold. “
Basketball Australia officials insist they are working with Australia’s overseasbased players to provide the high-performance environment required to excel over the next two years.
■ BRISBANE will become just the eighth team in NBL history to go from the depths of the outhouse to the finals penthouse in a season if results go their way this weekend.
The Bullets have finished with the wooden spoon for the past two NBL seasons but they will qualify for the top four if Perth beat Adelaide tomorrow and Brisbane beat New Zealand on Saturday.