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One month ago, it was announced that Wesley Gordon would travel with the Pac-12’s finest on an all-star team of sorts. The Pac-12 representatives would travel to Australia to face off against the Australian national basketball team as the Boomers — as they’re so eloquently nicknamed — prepare for the Rio Olympics.
The two games they will play against the Boomers are next week, the 12th and the 14th. Back when the games were first announced, it didn’t appear that they would be televised. Fortunately for us, that much has changed. The Pac-12 offered a press release earlier today stating the Pac-12 Networks will broadcast the games, both live and as re-airs. Both games will air live at 3:30 a.m. (MST) and as re-airs at 6:00 p.m.
The team arrives in Australia on Saturday, the 9th. They will spend the weekend site-seeing national landmarks, experiencing Australian culture, adjusting to the time difference, and hanging out with Patty Mills. On Sunday, the team will face a team from the South East Australia Basketball League (SEABL), which is the FCS to the National Basketball League’s FBS. Which team from the SEABL has yet to be released, as it’s not even on the league’s website.
Also of note, the team previously serving as the de facto practice squad for the Boomers was Melbourne United of the NBL. United is led at point guard by Colorado’s favorite Australian, team captain Nate Tomlinson. The Pac-12 All-Stars will play the Boomers in Melbourne at United’s arena, so there’s a strong chance Tomlinson, the previous wearer of No. 1, will finally meet Gordon (if he hasn’t already), the current wearer of No. 1. Here’s to hoping the two exchange their favorite Sean Miller meltdown stories.