Notably absent from Florida’s summer workout this past week was Alex Condon, but don’t worry–it wasn’t for any bad reason.
It was because he was doing national duty, joining his Australian Boomers for two games FIBA World Cup qualifying as they look to qualify once again for the top event in the sport in 2027.
Australia is quietly one of the world’s basketball powers, currently ranked 6th according to FIBA rankings despite not getting as much attention as countries like France, Canada, and Spain. Australia has consistently performed well at international events, and their development model where most players are funneled as youth players through the Canberra Center Of Excellence (including Condon) is something a lot of nations are thinking of following.
For that reason, it was huge for Condon to get the call to the Senior team. This is not an easy team to make by any means, and it was far from a shoe-in that he’d get the selection over older, more experienced Aussie nationals.
These two games were expected to be blowout wins for Australia, as they generally are dominant in the FIBA Asian region. Though the competition was never going to be great, Australia actually assembled a tremendous roster and Condon was able to get experience playing next to some elite pros. Bryce Cotton, a naturalized American, has been the best player in the Australian NBL for a number of years and he was set to lead the way alongside guys like Mitch Creek, Keanu Pinder, and Jack McVeigh who have had incredible careers.
Facing off against Guam and Phillipines, Condon was surprised to hear his name called as a starter for the event.
Australia ended up beating Guam 124-52 and Philippines 92-49, so there were never high-leverage minutes available or that much crazy competition, but Condon got to play a ton and get valuable experience. Here are his numbers from those games:
Versus Guam:
20:15 Minutes
7 Points (3-4 FG)
4 Rebounds
2 Assists
2 Turnovers
1 Steal
1 Block
Versus Phillipines:
17:01
3 Points (1-5 FG)
8 Rebounds
2 Assists
1 Block
Condon was not only able to start, but play a significant number of minutes as some of the more veteran players took a backseat. It was clear that Condon was looking to move the ball and be unselfish as one of the younger players on the roster, and it fit well into the Australian system that is predicated on constant side to side movement as they flow in and out of ball screens. This is where Condon’s activity level was valuable, and his screens were able to clear space and create opportunities for his teammates. He did have a few moments where he looked a little bit sped up when trying to finish at the rim which resulted in some missed attempts, and he wasn’t able to hit his three-point attempts, but when it came to the non-scoring elements of offense he looked confident.
Defense and rebounding were where Condon had the most impact and his athleticism and size was apparent against these two teams that didn’t have much to match up with. Condon looked excellent in pick and roll coverage and had a few steals and blocks that showcased his now well-known anticipation, and it’s something that the Australian basketball federation will have noticed as they look towards the future of their national team.
Australia will have two more qualifying games at the end of August though it’s unknown if Condon will join them. The experience playing next to some seasoned veterans in these two games looked valuable, and he is someone who will be representing Australia a ton in the upcoming decade plus.