Australia's chances in the 2014 FIBA World Cup took a devastating blow the moment the San Antonio Spurs announced a shoulder injury to Patty Mills. Mills could be sidelined through December for San Antonio, but his absence will have a far greater impact on the Aussies. After finishing the 2012 London Olympics as the the leading scorer in points per game, Mills was primed for another starring role in the World Cup.
FIBA World Cup 2014 preview: Australia begins the Dante Exum era in Spain
A new generation of Australian basketball players is taking over, and 19-year-old guard Dante Exum hopes to lead the charge at the 2014 World Cup.
Stefan Postles
It's not all bad news for the Aussies, though. Dante Exum is the country's next big star, and the guard is ready to give NBA fans a look at what they will see when his rookie season begins for the Utah Jazz. If Exum isn't a starter in a veteran backcourt that includes Cleveland Cavaliers gunner Matthew Dellavedova, Brad Newley and Adam Gibson, he'll still be a major contributor coming off the bench.
How they got here
Australia earned its bid by winning the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship, but that’s not nearly as impressive as it sounds. The tournament featured just two teams -- Australia and New Zealand -- playing a two-game series to determine the region’s champion.
While the Australians won both legs of the series to take the title, both teams were awarded bids to the World Cup as the top two teams from the region. One might wonder why FIBA has two teams in Oceania compete for two spots while 24 teams in Europe compete for six.
Key players
2014 FIBA World Cup
Dante Exum: Utah’s rising star is also the biggest name on Australia at the moment, even though he’s a relatively inexperienced 19-year-old. Exum’s talent is special and this will be the first extended glimpse at his skills in meaningful situations.
Matthew Dellavedova: A possibly underrated young guard who's established himself with the Cavaliers as a solid sharpshooter off the bench, this could be the stage for Dellavedova to take his game to the next level. With Mills sidelined and Exum lacking experience, Dellavedova will be leaned on to manage the group and create offense in the backcourt.
Aron Baynes: We don't know what's up between Baynes and the Spurs, but the Australian big man will be representing his country at the World Cup in the meantime. As the team's likely starting center, he'll have his hands full against Jonas Valanciunas and Lithuania in the group stage.
Cameron Bairstow: A second-round selection by the Chicago Bulls this year, Bairstow is hoping to improve his NBA prospects with a strong showing in Spain. The former college star at New Mexico should provide size next to Baynes, and could be eying a breakout performance.
Joe Ingles: One of Australia’s top performers at the 2012 Olympics alongside Mills, Ingles returns this year hoping to handle an even larger role. A versatile 6’8 wing, he’s a strong passer for his size and showed an improved three-point shot while playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv last season. Without Mills, he’ll be one of the more experienced members of the team.
Medal chances
Australia’s chances at a medal will depend entirely on where they place in the group stage. Simply making it to the Round of 16 won’t be enough, because finishing fourth in Group D would likely mean a matchup against the United States to start the elimination bracket. Obviously, nobody in this tournament wants to face Team USA.
If the Australians can finish first or third in their group, they’ll likely be able to avoid Team USA until a potential semifinal matchup, which would at least get the team into the third-place game. With two talented teams in Lithuania and Slovenia leading Group D, Australia needs to hope it can finish third, land a relatively easy matchup in the Round of 16, then pull off a major upset in the quarterfinals of someone like Lithuania.
So the Australians have a potential route to earning a medal, but it would require them to pull off some pretty stunning performances.
Schedule
Aug. 30 vs. Slovenia
Aug. 31 vs. South Korea
Sept. 2 vs. Lithuania
Sept. 3 vs. Mexico
Sept. 4 vs. Angola
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