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With the NBL holding a strong position in world basketball \u2013 and imports from across the globe falling in love with Australia \u2013 there has been a noticeable rise in high-level players seeking Australian citizenship.<\/p>\n
Recently, Bryce Cotton became an Australian citizen, while Tyler Harvey was granted permanent residency last week.<\/p>\n
By the time the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics roll around, both players will be eligible to represent Australia on the sport\u2019s biggest stages.<\/p>\n
Tyler Harvey and Bryce Cotton are set to join Patty Mills as Boomers stars.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was always super special to even be included in a squad, let alone a team,\u201d former NBL champion and Boomer Mitch McCarron told Foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think coming through Australian juniors and playing for state teams, the message was always that one day you want to put on the green and gold.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the life goal of a junior basketballer in Australia. Being a professional was cool, but playing for Australia was the coolest thing you could do in your career.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCarron, who retired from the NBL last season after nine years and 270 games, said his time with the Boomers remains the most meaningful part of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo look back now that I\u2019m done from full-time professional basketball, those are my favourite moments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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As Australian basketball undergoes a changing of the guard \u2013 led by Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels and a strong crop of emerging talent \u2013 there remains a clear need for leadership and experienced veterans within the Boomers program.<\/p>\n
With Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova nearing the back end of their careers, players like Cotton or Harvey could help fill important voids in experience, leadership and shot-making alongside the young core.<\/p>\n
Mitch McCarron of the Boomers (centre) is seen in action during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers match between the Australia Boomers and the Kazakhstan Snow Leopards at Bendigo Stadium in Bendigo, Monday, September 17, 2018. (AAP Image\/Julian Smith)Source: AAP<\/p>\n
For McCarron, the future is something to be excited about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s just exciting for Australian basketball to have so many connections, not just to the NBA, but to high-level basketball all around the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really lucky to have strong professional competitions here and national teams that are genuinely competing for medals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good headache for selectors and coaches when you\u2019ve got multiple NBA guys not just playing over there, but having a real impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patty Mills of Australia celebrates after making a basket in the final minutes during match 2 of the Pre-FIBA World Cup series between Australia and the USA at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Saturday, August 24, 2019. (AAP Image\/Scott Barbour)Source: AAP<\/p>\n
Patty Mills\u2019 influence on the Boomers \u2013 both on and off the floor \u2013 will be difficult to replace whenever that transition comes.<\/p>\n
A player with a similar ability to score off movement, create his own shot and facilitate at a high level is Cotton, raising the question of whether he could add that firepower should opportunities arise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d love to see them put their hand up if they\u2019re eligible and keen,\u201d McCarron said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are household names around Australia now \u2013 guys who\u2019ve been in the league for years and won championships. I think they\u2019d be well supported pulling on the green and gold.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m unsure where Patty sits in terms of future selections, but you always need someone who can light up the scoreboard internationally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crucially for Australia, any selection of Cotton or Harvey would come on merit, given the sheer depth of talent being produced.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cool thing is we\u2019ve got so much homegrown talent,\u201d McCarron said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s always about the best fit for the group, and we\u2019re fortunate to have so many Australian-born guys pushing for those spots as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more talent in the pool, the better the national team becomes.\u201d<\/p>\n
That depth has created a fiercely competitive environment, particularly with the expansion of international windows and tournaments.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely competitive \u2013 everyone wants to play for their country,\u201d McCarron said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a junior, you had the New Zealand series or a major tournament. Now you\u2019ve got Asia Cup qualifiers, Asia Cups \u2013 there are more opportunities than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another emerging positive for Australian and New Zealand basketball is imports choosing to make the region home.<\/p>\n
Alongside Cotton and Harvey, players such as Milton Doyle and Casey Prather have shown interest in Australian citizenship, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright has expressed intent to represent New Zealand in the future.<\/p>\n
McCarron, a former teammate of Jackson-Cartwright, believes the fit makes sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope PJC goes ahead and does it,\u201d McCarron said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves Auckland and feels completely at home there.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the 36ers walks to the free throw line after being fouled by Kristian Doolittle of the Wildcats during the round 11 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena, on December 07, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Zealand\u2019s national program is already exciting, with what\u2019s coming through their under-19 and under-17 teams. Adding him would only strengthen that.\u201d<\/p>\n
For McCarron, the broader trend isn\u2019t surprising.<\/p>\n
\u201cAustralia and New Zealand are great places to live,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou come over, play through the summer, live in great cities \u2013 life\u2019s pretty good.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor some guys it\u2019s about staying longer professionally, for others it\u2019s the opportunity to play world basketball and represent a country on a completely different stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
As more high-profile players gain local status, the benefits extend beyond national teams. A stronger local talent pool strengthens the NBL, increases competition and raises the league\u2019s overall standing.<\/p>\n
The Boomers may be entering a new phase \u2013 a passing of the torch \u2013 but the excitement around the program continues to grow. And as McCarron knows better than most, few moments in sport compare to representing your country on the world stage.<\/p>\n
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 31: Tyler Harvey of the Hawks during the round 15 NBL match between Illawarra Hawks and Tasmania JackJumpers at WIN Entertainment Centre on December 31, 2025 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Playing for your country at the international level is the highest honour a basketball player can achieve. While…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":470568,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-470567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=470567"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470567\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/470568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=470567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=470567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=470567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}