Star NBA centre Andrew Bogut is predicting Australia's squad depth will give the Boomers the right amount of `swagger' for a successful Rio Olympics campaign.
The Golden State Warriors' big man is confident the Boomers can rattle a few teams in Rio - and with a team laden with NBA players including San Antonio point guard Patty Mills, Cleveland's Matthew Dellavedova, Detroit Piston Aron Baynes and Utah's Joe Ingles he has reason to be optimistic.
That team could also include the tipped No.1 NBA Draft pick Ben Simmons if he can be persuaded to join the squad.
"We got a solid team, man," Bogut told former ESPN analyst Bill Simmons on the B.S Report podcast..
"That's what really excites me. Going to the Olympics with that squad, we have a chance.
"Barring injury, we like our chances."
The side won't lack scoring firepower, according to Bogut, who declared Mills to be a weapon from the perimeter.
"Patty will probably be our gunner from the outside," said Bogut.
"We have got a guy playing in Europe named Ryan Broekhoff ... unbelievable three-point shooter.
"David Anderson, who has played in Europe ... played for the Rockets.
"We have a lot of different guys and you throw in six or seven NBA guys. It just helps. It gives you a bit more of a swagger."
Bogut also put NBA rivalry aside, defending fellow Victorian Dellavedova, who was labelled `dirty' throughout the 2014-15 NBA playoffs and had several stoushes with Bogut's Golden State teammate Draymond Green.
"He's got some enemies in our locker room," Bogut said.
"I respect Delly. He plays hard and people think he is dirty, but he's actually a great fella and we get along really well.
"But he plays hard on the floor."
Bill Simmons, whose podcast is among the most popular in sports in the US, suggested Australia was a "sleeper" for the tournament.
He expressed a desire for the Boomers to get physical with the dangerous French side, should the two teams meet in Rio..
"What's funny about that is Joe Ingles tells me he talks smack about that to (French Utah Jazz teammate) Rudy Gobert every day about that," Bogut said.
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