THERE is an exciting mix of established stars and emerging young talent in the recently announced 12-man Australian Boomers squad, for the upcoming 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, which is set to begin in Jeddah next week.

The addition of youth to the squad in comparison to previous tournaments is a sign of the times for the Australian basketball system, and also reflective of how strong the young talent is coming through the system. Although there are a few inexperienced names on the roster, the Boomers are still expected to be one of the biggest contenders to win it all.

Headlining the youth on the team is 17-year-old Dash Daniels, who is continuing to emerge as one of the most exciting talents out of the country, and is expected to be a lottery selection at the 2026 NBA Draft next year, following in the footsteps of his brother Dyson.

Also playing in the NBL1 for the Sandringham Sabres, Daniels is averaging 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and two steals per game in the South Men’s competition, and looks at home playing against more experienced teammates, and should get court time at international level in the upcoming tournament.

Following his decision to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft a couple of months ago, Ben Henshall will don the Boomers uniform as the decision for the next stage in his career looms, while former Louisville Cardinal and recently announced Cairns Taipans signing Reyne Smith will surely light up the perimeter when he is on the court.

There is also a hefty amount of NBL stars and NBA experience on the roster, headlined by Jack McVeigh, who makes his return following a season at the top level with the Houston Rockets, as well as an exciting Summer League campaign with the Atlanta Hawks. On that same Hawks roster was Jack White, who will also be playing for Australia in Jeddah.

Fellow Summer League participants Will Magnay and William Hickey will bring their experience to the table as well, while Xavier Cooks will add even more star power to the team and should have a massive impact in the frontcourt.

Boomers coach Adam Capcorn expressed plenty of excitement in the announcement of the team following a competitive couple of weeks preparing for the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this group representing Australia and the dedication they’ve shown to the Boomers program,” Capcorn said.

“It’s been a strong competitive start to camp, and we feel we’re building something special from these early foundations.”

The Boomers will be in action on the Sunshine Coast tomorrow night, when they take on the University of Colorado in an exhibition match, before heading to Jeddah to get their tournament underway, facing Korea in their first matchup on Wednesday, August 6.

Australian Boomers squad

Xavier Cooks
Dash Daniels
Owen Foxwell
Jaylin Galloway
Ben Henshall
William Hickey
Will Magnay
Sean Macdonald
Jack McVeigh
Reyne Smith
Harry Wessels