Cadee: FIBA Patty 'won't be' with Boomers for Cup quest

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Patty Mills' place in Australia's squad for the 2027 FIBA World Cup is becoming a major talking point, with former Boomers guard Jason Cadee believing the veteran leader is unlikely to make the team as a new generation of guards takes centre stage.

Mills has been the face of the Boomers for well over a decade, leading Australia to its historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and serving as captain through multiple Olympic Games and World Cups.

However, by the time the 2027 tournament tips-off in Qatar, the NBA veteran will be 39-years-old.

Speaking on The Cut to the Jase Podcast, Cadee said he believes Australia's backcourt will have undergone a significant changing of the guard, with rising star Tyrese Proctor and six-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton expected to occupy the two small guard positions.

Asked whether Cotton's emergence would complicate the Boomers' guard rotation, Cadee said he expects Proctor to be one of the first names selected.

"No, it won't. Tyrese (Proctor), to me, is a shoe-in," Cadee said on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"I just, I think he's, the path he's on, he's a long, he's got, oh, he's got that microwave ability."

Proctor has enjoyed a rapid rise through the Australian basketball ranks and is widely regarded as one of the country's brightest young prospects. After developing at Duke University before making the leap to the NBA, the dynamic guard has long been viewed as a future cornerstone of the Boomers program.

Cotton's international availability has also changed the equation. After becoming eligible to represent Australia, the three-time NBL champion and one of the league's greatest scorers immediately strengthened the Boomers' depth in the backcourt.

While Cadee acknowledged Mills' legendary status within Australian basketball, he believes the champion guard's international career won't extend to next year's World Cup.

"I just, I don't wanna shut it down because Patty's Patty, but Patty won't be there," Cadee said.

The comments reflect the difficult reality facing the national team and new head coach Adam Caporn as it balances honouring one of its greatest-ever players while continuing to transition towards a younger core capable of contending at future international tournaments.

Mills remains one of the most decorated players in Australian basketball history. Across five Olympic Games and four FIBA World Cups/World Championships, he has established himself as the Boomers' emotional leader and one of the nation's greatest performers on the international stage. His scoring exploits, leadership and commitment to the green and gold have made him an icon of Australian sport.

However, Australia's depth at guard has never been stronger. Alongside Proctor and Cotton, the Boomers boast emerging talent including Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey, providing selectors with an abundance of playmaking and scoring options heading towards the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Cadee's prediction is certain to spark debate among Australian basketball fans, particularly given Mills' history of defying expectations and elevating his performances whenever he pulls on the national jersey.

Whether the veteran chooses to continue playing internationally beyond the 2028 Olympics remains unknown, but Cadee believes the Boomers' next World Cup squad will mark the beginning of a new era in the Australian backcourt.

If Mills does miss out, the 2027 tournament could represent the first FIBA World Cup in more than 15 years without the star guard in green and gold.