It promises to be an Australian Boomers team like none that have come before but their goal remains the same – win the team's first gold medal.
Basketball Australia revealed the 17-man Boomers squad on Thursday for a selection camp in Melbourne in August ahead of the FIBA World Cup in China.
Ben Simmons announced he was playing last week instantly elevating already high hopes the team could go one better than the heart-breaking fourth-place finish in Rio.
As expected Rio Olympians Andrew Bogut, Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes, Chris Goulding and Brock Motum were named but newcomers such as Simmons, Jonah Bolden, Mitch Creek, Deng Adel and Jock Landale could have roles to play despite being rookies at major tournament level.
While nine current NBA players were named, including Bogut who won NBL MVP with Sydney Kings this year before being called back to the Golden State Warriors, the NBL were big winners with Nick Kay, Mitch McCarron, Todd Blanchfield, Nathan Sobey, Cameron Gliddon and Goulding all named and they will push for places in the final 12.
The Boomers aim to retain their team-first culture and Australian coach Andrej Lemanis will no doubt keep his pass-first, uptempo game and rotate his players.
But the big change will be adjusting to having a "superstar" player for the first time.
Ingles said on Thursday the team would have no trouble turning the ball over to Simmons as they expect his world-class passing skills will setup countless open shots.
"We are super excited to have Ben involved, as players, coaches, fans – everyone want to see him put up his hand and play and now the next part is adjusting," Ingles said.
"Fitting him in but also us fitting in with him as he is an extremely special talent. Everyone has seen what he has done in the NBA and we have confidence he can do that with us.
"It's about us meshing it all together, all fitting in and playing the best basketball we can come September."
Lemanis originally planned to name an 18-man squad but Detroit Pistons forward Thon Maker was a late withdrawal after opting to focus on his uncertain NBA future.
NBA pair Ryan Broekhoff (first child arriving) and Dante Exum (knee injury) had already withdrawn.
No replacement for Maker was announced and with plenty of big man cover it appears unlikely unless others are forced to withdraw in the lead-up to camp.
Simmons hasn't played with the Boomers since he made his debut as a 16-year-old in 2013, but his coaches and NBA teammates are already planning for how they can give him every chance to emulate his NBA All-Star season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia teammate Jonah Bolden shapes as a potential starting power forward depending on how Lemanis lays out his side, while if Adel and Creek make the team they will also bring athleticism to the forward positions that the Boomers have rarely seen before.
The Boomers coaches and players have been closely watching how Philadelphia runs their offence and there is little doubt they will borrow some of their tactics, but Ingles said Simmons and Bolden will fit in fine.
"Ben is a smart guy, his basketball IQ is up there with the best so he will know what I like to do, what Patty likes to do, Bogut, Baynes all these guys," Ingles said.
"He will find us. That's what he does with the best of them in the NBA. It won't be any different coming in.
"It will just be about us getting together as soon as possible and starting to figure out the best way we can play as a team."
Boomers squad: Deng Adel, Aron Baynes, Todd Blanchfield, Andrew Bogut, Jonah Bolden, Mitch Creek, Matthew Dellavedova, Cameron Gliddon, Chris Goulding, Joe Ingles, Nicholas Kay, Jock Landale, Mitch McCarron, Patty Mills, Brock Motum, Ben Simmons, Nathan Sobey.
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