With Paris 2024 Olympics preparations entering the final phase, the Australian men’s basketball team will be in action in the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi, starting July 16.

All matches will be played at the Etihad Arena. The series will mark the first-ever international basketball matches played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Boomers, fifth in the men’s FIBA rankings, will take on a star-studded USA basketball team on July 15 and Serbia on July 16. Both the AUS vs USA and AUS vs SRB matches will start live at 5:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).

The 16-time Olympic champions USA, headlined by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant, will be gunning for their fifth consecutive Olympic Summer Games gold in Paris.

The USA men’s basketball team beat 2023 FIBA World Cup bronze medallists Canada 86-72 in Las Vegas on July 11, successfully kicking off the USA Basketball Showcase.

Meanwhile, the Serbian men’s basketball team also boasts some top NBA stars. Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Boban Marjanovic are set to take the court in Abu Dhabi.

Led by Patty Mills, the Boomers will travel to the UAE on the back of winning the two-game Ford Ballin’ 24 basketball tournament in Melbourne against the People’s Republic of China earlier this month.

Reigning FIBA Asia Cup champions Australia won the first match 107-87 as Jack McVeigh starred with 24 points. The Boomers, then, clinched the second game 91-58 as Jock Landale top-scored with 19 points.

Stern tests against world No.1 USA and world No. 4 Serbia will be ideal for Brian Goorjian’s team to finetune their preparations for Paris.

“The standard of the tournament is going to be at an all-time high and we’re excited with the group that we’ve put together,” stated Goorjian ahead of the USA Basketball Showcase.

Australia won their maiden men’s basketball Olympic medal, a bronze, at Tokyo 2020. The 12-member Boomers team for Paris includes eight members from the Tokyo Summer Games.

USA Basketball Showcase Abu Dhabi 2024: Australia’s schedule and live match start times

All in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)