Goorjian to visit NBA Boomers to ramp up Paris campaign

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian will continue Paris Olympics plans with a visit to all his NBA stars.

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian will travel to the United States next month to visit national team players competing in the NBA as preparations intensify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Goorjian was casting his eye over potential stars of future Olympics at the Australian School Championships on the Gold Coast on Monday.

The Boomers finished a disappointing 10th at this year’s FIBA World Cup after a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Goorjian will spend almost three weeks in December in the US making sure prospective Olympic team members understand his plans to shine in Paris.

“My job after this (schools) tournament is to go to America and touch base with all those guys in their NBA teams and keep them locked into what’s ahead of them when they finish with the season next year … what the program will be and what we are looking to do leading into the Olympics,” he told AAP.

“Some are playing major minutes and an important role in their NBA teams, and then we have guys that aren’t getting a lot of minutes.

“It is important that we tick them along with what they need to be working hard on with their game when they are not playing, and that they continue to stay sharp, because the Olympics are right around corner.”

Goorjian said Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Josh Giddey and Jock Landale were on his list, as were rising stars such as New Orleans Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels.

Although the 20-year-old Daniels got limited game time at the World Cup, Goorjian said he took a long-term view.

“Dyson is a young player who was on the roster but didn’t really play (at the World Cup) but the whole purpose of that was not for the World Cup it was for the Olympics … to give him the experience of just being around the team, the culture, the practices,” Goorjian said.

“Now he has gone back to the NBA and he is playing significant minutes for the Pelicans.

“He looks like he is really going to contribute at the Olympics so it was a really important move to bring him to the Worlds.”

Goorjian said there were benefits to come from the World Cup, despite the disappointing results.

“We introduced six new players to the team and with the next Olympics approaching that is the exciting part,” he said.

“We have got a lot of new young talent that we are integrating into the team and most of that young talent is playing in the NBA.”

Goorjian said he was relishing his first trip to the Australian school championships, where players such as Mills, Giddey and Daniels all once shone.

“We are the tip of the triangle and what goes on underneath here is the essence of basketball,” he said.

“Getting the kids playing, getting them proper coaching and having a tournament like this are the feeding grounds to our national program. It is important this grows and gets better and better.

“When they come to me they have to be the finished product. My (role) is just getting them organised for a tournament. This is what it is about.”