Boomers 'reach out' to Mills after Exum injury
MELBOURNE (2015 FIBA Oceania Championship) - Australia coach Andrej Lemanis has called Pat Mills "a logical fit" for the Boomers' FIBA Oceania Championship squad following the loss of guard Dante Exum to
MELBOURNE (2015 FIBA Oceania Championship) - Australia coach Andrej Lemanis has called Pat Mills "a logical fit" for the Boomers' FIBA Oceania Championship squad following the loss of Dante Exum to injury but he doesn't know if the San Antonio Spurs guard will be able to play.
Exum tore his left ACL in Wednesday's friendly clash with Slovenia in Ljubljana, leaving Lemanis with 11 players to take on New Zealand in the two-game series that tips off on 15 August in Melbourne and concludes three days later in Wellington.
The winner will clinch a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games while the loser will play at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
#HOMECOMING | Andrej Lemanis has options available to fill Dante Exum's spot: http://t.co/LLWKQF2X9H #GoBoomers pic.twitter.com/TwMt9MCBkK
— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) August 7, 2015
Mills had initially made himself available for the games against the Tall Blacks but was unable to take part in Australia's four-game tour of Europe and Lemanis chose not to include him in the squad.
Australia could have used Mills's scoring punch as they lost their two games at Lithuania and the first meeting against Slovenia, although the team rebounded with a strong overall effort in their lone win on Wednesday.
Anyone we bring in will not have participated in the European tour so we just need to assess if that’s in our best interest to bring somebody else in. - Lemanis
"Patty is a logical fit given he knows the Boomers and is a very good player," Lemanis said.
"We have reached out to [him] but we haven't been able to connect as yet. It's been a 30-hour flight so it's been difficult communicating."
Mills was Australia's leading player at the 2012 Olympics and played under Lemanis the following year in the Oceania series with the Kiwis but was hurt and unable to feature last summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Andrew Bogut, the Golden State Warriors center, sat beside Lemanis at Friday's press conference and said of Mills: "Obviously he could come in and help the team, he's an NBA-caliber player that has had a great run the last couple of years so we'd be silly not to inquire."
Australia will gather again on Monday to start the final phase of their preparations for the games against New Zealand, who are currently getting ready for the showdown by playing in the Stankovic Cup in China.
They will resume practicing on Tuesday.
"Preferably we'll get a decision by Monday but the good thing is we do have some time to consider all the viable options," Bogut said.
Lemanis stressed that there are other options.
"There are some NBL guys sitting out there," he said.
"There are a couple of guys who came to the (World) University Games who know the stuff offensively and defensively.
"All those options we need to carefully work our way through and not make any rash decisions."
Australia were impressive at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and made it to the Round of 16 before exiting after a narrow defeat to Turkey.
A couple of leading players in that side, power forward Aron Baynes and swingman Joe Ingles, are not playing this summer.
While Mills has yet to indicate if he is still able to play for Australia this summer, he did react to the news that Exum was hurt.
Horrible news! All the best in recovery mate... Stay strong and Keep The Passion https://t.co/qWMcVbdyPn
— Patrick Mills (@Patty_Mills) August 6, 2015
Lemanis also addressed the injury suffered by Exum, who played for the Boomers at the World Cup last year before his rookie season in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.
"To be honest it was a difficult experience to go through," said Lemanis.
There was no contact with another player when Exum got hurt.
He injured his left knee when driving into the lane and coming to a jump stop.
"When you saw it happen," Lemanis said, "there was a sickening feeling that it was going to be bad and then seeing how devastated he was in the locker room as the realization set in that it could be a significant injury was heartbreaking."
He's [Exum] such a great kid and certainly our thoughts are with him. - Lemanis
Australia need to put the injury to Exum behind them as they get ready to face the Tall Blacks.
Veteran forward David Andersen, who was also at Friday's press conference, said: "We're always in for a bit of a fight. There is no shame in saying we both go at each other pretty hard and I'm sure this year will be no different.
"They've got a good squad and obviously the stakes are high if you want to get to Rio. That's our biggest goal."
The opening game will be played in the Rod Laver Arena.
"I hear it's a sellout, which is a very positive thing for Australian basketball," Andersen said. "Everyone will be behind it."
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