Brian Goorjian has confirmed he is sticking to the plan and quitting as Boomers coach in the wake of their quarter-final defeat to Serbia at the Olympics.
Australia, looking to back up their breakthrough Tokyo bronze, led by 24 points before three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic brought his country back in it to seal a 95-90 overtime victory.
The defeat sets the Boomers up for a changing of the guard after Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova all made the squad for one final fling.
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Mills, who turns 36 on Sunday, still had a key role and could yet continue but Ingles, 37 in October, and Dellavedova, 34 in September, were already rarely used in Paris.
The trio were crucial members of the team during Goorjian’s second stint as coach, which began in style when the team won their first ever Olympic medal — coined ‘rose gold’ — three years ago.
But the 71-year-old will now depart and let a new voice take over as the likes of Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels and Josh Green become the squad’s leaders.
“This was always the plan,” Goorjian said of walking away after Paris.
“(The question was) do you want to be part of this journey as the rebuild, the (2023) World Cup and (Paris) Olympics were back-to-back, and there was a short timeframe because of COVID.
“I think I’ve been an important piece of this process and it’s time to move away. I think when I get off the plane I walk away feeling proud of my contribution over the 16 years I’ve been involved with the Boomers.”
Australia’s exit raised fresh questions around Goorjian’s decision to overlook star defender Matisse Thybulle, particularly after Ingles remained on the bench for the entirety of the loss to Serbia.
But he said he was “happy to finish this with Joe and Patty” mixed in among fresh faces like Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay.
“I had to make a decision on I couldn’t have six guys sharing, one (Thybulle) had to be removed. That was the toughest call I’ve had in this whole build-up,” Goorjian said.
“Everyone’s talking about it every time you lose … Matisse is one of my favourite players and when some guys move out of this, like Delly, Matisse might be a piece of the future.
“But this particular group, we had to open the door for those guys. You don’t want a guy sitting down there (on the end of the bench) and not playing.
“It was a tough decision but I feel comfortable that we selected the right team. I have no regrets as far as that goes.”
Goorjian, who also said there w again noted his justification for leaving Thybulle off as he discussed the prospect of the Boomers losing the unmatched shooting of Mills.
Midway through the Paris campaign Mills, who earned the nickname ‘FIBA Patty’ for continually stepping up in international play, moved into No.5 on the all-time Olympic scoring charts behind Oscar Schmidt, Andrew Gaze, Pau Gasol and Luis Scola.
“I think we’ve got a lot of pieces, and we’ve got duplicate pieces. We’ve got some good defenders, we’ve got good athletes,” Goorjian said.
“That piece, a guy that can create his own shot and the other team has to really focus on, that’s something that’s a concern.
“Losing him will be really difficult to replace. Physically I just look at him and say he hasn’t lost a thing.”
Mills went berserk either side of quarter-time against Serbia in a 20-point Boomers run that put them 22 points ahead.
He made seven of nine shots in that streak, most of them tough pull-up jumpers, as the 35-year-old wound back the clock with 16 points in less than four minutes.
At the height of his run Mills (18 points) was beating Serbia (17) on his own.
“To be honest, I don’t know if there’s anything going through my mind at that stage,” he said.
Mills finished with 26 points in what is surely his last outing after appearing at every Olympics since Beijing 2008, and receiving the honour of carrying the flag at the Tokyo opening ceremony three years ago.
The NBA champion did not confirm whether he will walk away alongside Goorjian but, referring to the likes of Giddey, said “the Boomers are in great hands”.
“We’ve just enjoyed every moment of this journey,” Mills said.
“It hasn’t been a smooth-sailing ship, but you do it together and you never take those moments for granted.
“But through the thick and thin and ups and downs, happy tears, sad tears, it’s been an incredible journey to be able to share with those guys.”
Goorjian said finishing well short of a bronze medal, let alone silver or gold, was not a step backwards from Tokyo.
“You’re on a new journey. I think we were right there,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ve lost any respect, I think we’re still an elite team and Dyson, Giddey, Josh Green, we’ve introduced (Jack) McVeigh, (Will) Magnay, these guys get their first taste of this. I think the future’s bright.
“I like the culture, I like where the team’s at. I like the group I finished with, and I like the group I’ve left moving forward with – including staff.
“I just think it’s a really exciting time for Australian basketball and if you viewed these Games, there’s nothing I’m embarrassed about.”
– with AAP