MILWAUKEE (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - If there's anything to help Australia fans get over the Olympic hangover that many are still nursing four months after the team's 89-88 Bronze Medal Game defeat to Spain in Rio de Janeiro, it's the hope that the elusive spot on the podium at a major tournament may be theirs at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

The Australians should get an injection of NBA players Dante Exum, Ben Simmons and Thon Maker by the time the event comes around in China in three years.

There is the important matter of qualifying for the tournament, which promises to be difficult, yet the expectation is that the Oceania giants will be at the party in the Far East when the event expands to 32 teams.

"We've got a lot of great young guys coming through like Dante Exum, Ben Simmons, Thon Maker and a lot of guys in college as well," Australia's starting Olympic point guard Matthew Dellavedova said to FIBA.com.

"We have a good core group that we will hopefully keep building together adding some young guys in. We need to keep that core, our culture, and togetherness and keep playing for each other."

Dellavedova is Maker's teammate in Milwaukee and is getting a chance to see him go through the usual ups and downs that rookies have. While Exum is back on the floor for the Utah Jazz after missing his second season while recovering from a torn ACL, Ben Simmons has yet to play for Philadelphia.

The top pick in this year's draft fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot on the final day of training camp, although he could start to play in January.

Injuries are something that Andrew Bogut knows all about. He's had his share during his successful NBA career.

Many feared that he had played his last game for Australia in Rio against Spain but following the start of the NBA season, the 32-year-old has made it clear that that a decision on his national team involvement had yet to be taken.

It's easy to see why he would be interested in sticking with the program.

"I think we have a very good group and a solid core," Bogut said to FIBA.com. "The team is very talented, everybody is giving his best to the team and we are united as a group. Those are the ingredients of our success and improvement in the last couple of years.

"Having young talents like Ben Simmons now, Dante Exum coming back after a serious injury, and some college players that will be added to the team and mixed with the veterans is a great sign for Australian basketball."

Bogut's all-round play makes the Boomers much better

Bogut accepts that players who shine with their university or club sides may have growing pains in international basketball. They may have to adapt to different roles.

"Some guys have very important roles or are going to have very important roles on their NBA or college teams," he said, "but it is different with the national team where everything is more balanced and everyone is super important.

"That is a challenge that Australia has never faced before and we need to get ready to keep the collective dynamic on the national team."

"We have to make sure now that as we are having so many talented guys coming up, it doesn’t start like 'oh we have the best talent now, we can relax and talent would be sufficient.'" - Bogut

Big names and reputations do not always add up to success with national teams. Australia should be okay as long as they remain true to what has made the side one of the most combative in the international game.

"We never had to face this before as we never had as much talent as most of the other very competitive countries of basketball, so we had to bring something else on the table, like our team spirit, tenacity and physicality," Bogut said.

"We have to make sure now that as we are having so many talented guys coming up, it doesn’t start like 'oh we have the best talent now, we can relax and talent would be sufficient.' Australia’s national team has to keep the same mentality we've had in the last couple of years."

FIBA