AUS - Boomers future on ‘the up and up’

SYDNEY (Olympics/2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Australia’s Patrick Mills of the San Antonio Spurs wasn’t the only Boomer to cause at a stir at the Olympics.

Joe Ingles of Barcelona fame also raised eyebrows with his performances, including a 19-point, eight-rebound and six-assist effort against the United States in the Quarter-Finals.

Everyone wanted to know after that game if Ingles might be latest the Boomer to play in the NBA where Andrew Bogut (Golden State Warriors) and Mills also play.

A person well-suited to offer insight to Ingles’ potential across the Atlantic was Boomers coach Brett Brown.

He is an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs.

"He's multi-faceted, he has a great skills package for his size," Brown said of Ingles.

"His future is on the up and up.

“I think the NBA will pay attention, especially after these Olympic Games."

Ingles stands 2.03m in height and has a big wingspan.

He can hit the three-pointer, put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket and catch alley-oop passes before dunking with authority.

Defensively, he has spent the past two seasons guarding Spanish national team star and Barcelona icon Juan Carlos Navarro in practice.

Still only 24, Ingles, who averaged 15 points, five rebounds and 4.2 assists per game at the Olympics, has his best years ahead of him.

He will be one of the Boomers’ leading players when they compete at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

That should be a very good team, one that should get to the Knockout Round because London also bore witness to a couple of other emerging international talents in guard Matthew Dellavedova and center Aron Baynes.

With Mills returning, and possibly Bogut as well - Australia will be formidable.

A player that Australia will not have is their three-time Olympian Matt Nielsen, who is 34.

Nielsen raved about the progress of Mills and Ingles the past several years because all three were at the Beijing Games as well.

"The thing I've been proud of in the last two Olympics is being part of guys like Joey and Patty's development,” Nielsen said.

"To see those guys especially, I wish I was a bit younger, and I could run up and down with them a bit more. They're special players."

FIBA