Goulding Australia's Olympic weapon?

Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian has revealed Australia’s coaching staff wanted to use Chris Goulding more at the 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign, but couldn’t due to injury. However, the coaching legend has backed the star sharpshooter to have an impact in the upcoming Olympic campaign – if he is selected.

Goulding was part of Australia’s bronze medal winning side from the Tokyo Olympics and has already participated in two iterations of the Games.

He experienced a resurgent NBL24 campaign with Melbourne United, where he finished runner-up to Bryce Cotton in the MVP race and fell to the Jack McVeigh-led Tasmania JackJumpers in the Championship Series.

“I’m a strong supporter, and the Boomers situation was rough on him at the World Cup,” Goorjian told SEN. “In fairness to Chris and the coaching staff, he came in and got hurt leading into the practice game.

“When we got to the World Cup he was a little underdone so never really got involved in the rotation, so as the thing came down each game after the German game – and the German game – we were playing for our life.

“When you look back on that group on of the criticisms we as a staff had on ourselves is we should have given him more opportunity. I sat in the locker room afterwards when we lost the World Cup, and it was like ‘this is it for me’. I tapped him and said, ‘it’s not, make sure you present’.

“I think I helped United this year in his approach to the season, because he got himself into tremendous shape, had a great season, and we’re excited about him in camp.

“We do need shooting and I’m looking forward to seeing him with the group and he’s a genuine shot at making the team.”

Although that World Cup campaign failed to build on the momentum the Boomers had gained on the international basketball scene, Goorjian believes the tournament played a crucial role in the emergence of the newest crop of stars.

Jock Landale missed the tournament through injury, while the likes of Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Jack White and Xavier Cooks all attended their first major international tournaments.

With the roster still set to be trimmed from 17 players to 12, Goorjian says he’ll select the team based on who best complements the team’s stars.

“I thought it was promoted poorly for the World Cup team with expectations and change. We introduced six or seven new guys, three new starters, and what you learn there is getting a comfort of style of play,” Goorjian said.

“What we learned from that is more what we’re weak at as a group, where we need to grow system wise, and culture, balance, the thing works in four-year cycles.

“When you stand two guys next to each other for the general public, one player they might look at and think he’s a better player, but when you put them in a group that’s based around three or four guys, who plays best around those guys?

“When you look at our guys playing in the NBA, none of them are the Luka (Doncic) or Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) ... they’re pieces around stars on their team with particular skills.

“When you put our three or four guys together its which skills go with them, and it might not be the best player, it might be a skill that fits. As you put the first five or six players together you might need more competitive spirit, or a shooter, or a defender, and that’s what it evolves into.

“I think the strength of our team is the depth as opposed to individual stars. We’ve got a good, solid group, and it’s deep.

“I think this camp with the 17 we have, every one of them would be looking over their shoulder saying 'I’m on this team and I deserve to be here’, which is going to make tough cuts and a very competitive camp.”