FIBA Asia Cup: Preview & players to watch

The Australian Boomers tip off their FIBA Asia Cup campaign on Wednesday, August 6 in Saudi Arabia.

Rankings

The Australian Boomers are currently ranked seveth in the World and first in Asia on the FIBA World Rankings.

Australia’s FIBA Asia Cup games

Australia v Korea – Wednesday, August 6, 6pm AEST
Australia v Lebanon – Saturday, August 9, 1am AEST
Australia v Qatar – Sunday, August 10, 6pm AEST

Quarter-finals – August 14
Semi-finals – August 16
Medal games – August 17

FIBA Asia Cup history

The Boomers have won the Asia Cup every year since they were added to FIBA Asia in 2017.

Another tournament victory in Jeddah will see Australia join China as the only nations to complete a three-peat.

Players to watch

Will Magnay
Tasmania’s foundational piece down low, is arguably in the best form of his career, coming off a very strong showing at the NBA Summer League. Adam Caporn named Magnay captain for this tournament, which is a testament to his growth as a leader, both on and off the floor. Expect Magnay to be as influential as ever in the quest to win gold.

Jack McVeigh
Fresh off an NBA season with the Houston Rockets, Jack McVeigh hasn’t slowed down one bit since his heroics for Tasmania in NBL24. The crafty sharpshooter’s confidence is sky high, and he is also hot off an outstanding Summer League display for the Atlanta Hawks. McVeigh will be relied upon to be one of the primary scoring threats for Australia in this tournament.

Dash Daniels
The 17-year-old made history against the University of Colorado last week as the youngest Boomers debutant since Ben Simmons. The younger brother of Dyson has had a busy year, playing in the NBL1 South and at the U19 World Cup for Australia. Daniels’ length, athleticism and feel for the game is what will have NBA eyes locked onto him for many years to come.

Xavier Cooks
Cooks’ versatility as a big man who can push the ball and play like a guard, should see him be a dynamic presence at the Asia Cup. His length and ability to disrupt defensively will also help a Boomers team that many expect to play with pace.

Will Hickey
The NBL Champion, who was one of the major reasons for the Hawks ultimate triumph, will be relied upon even more after the horrific injury to Sean Macdonald. Hickey will share the ball handling duties with Daniels and Owen Foxwell, and it’s his experience that will be crucial for this team to reach their ultimate goal.

What the head coach said

“We're part of a bigger picture, a bigger landscape, not only Australian basketball or Australian sport, but a Boomers campaign for Asia Cup is a big deal and an important event and we need to represent Australia proudly," Adam Caporn said via basketball.com.au.

“We're going out to win obviously and it's also part of seeding for the World Cup, and World Cup qualification is coming up and we know that consistency and wins is important. So, we're looking to build for a bigger picture.”

What the experts said

"Adam Caporn being his first time in the driver's seat. I feel like this is like an experimental phase.

Obviously we don't have the major heavy artillery dudes, but these guys are just as equipped and there's enough talent, professionalism and experience there to be able to get the job done in the Asia Cup.” – Damon Lowery.

How to watch

All Australian games will be available live via ESPN, Kayo and Disney+.

Every game throughout the tournament will also be shown on Disney+.

Live scores

Australia v Korea – Wednesday, August 6 – Live scores & stats
Australia v Lebanon – Saturday, August 9 – Live scores & stats
Australia v Qatar – Sunday, August 10 – Live scores & stats