The dust has barely settled. We know.
The Australian Boomers did it; they couldn't achieve their goal of gold, but still made history by winning the program's first ever medal in a major international competition. It was bronze in colour, but historic nonetheless.
It's time to have some fun and look ahead, though. The World Cup is only two years away, but the 2024 Paris Olympics could well be where the Boomers have their most realistic chance at a gold medal yet.
Of course, this exercise is necessarily hypothetical. It's not possible to know different circumstances that are three years away, but there's a reasoned way to look at who could be part of the Boomers' next Olympics campaign, so that's exactly what we've done.
PROBABLE LOCKS
Ben Simmons
The will-he-won't-he thing with Ben Simmons will remain until he's on the flight to Paris; that's just the reality, based on what's been demonstrated up until this point.
That doesn't change the fact that, if Simmons wants in on this team, he'll be on it. He remains one of the best defensive players on the planet, and a plus-athlete for a roster that needs it. There'll always be questions as to what his game looks like in FIBA ball, but we can't answer those until he suits up, which, at the risk of sounding naive, should happen in Paris.
Josh Giddey
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Giddey is this program's point guard for the foreseeable future.
The 6'8 - edging toward 6'9 - playmaker was part of the wider squad for Tokyo and was eventually selected as a replacement player, but, with three years of NBA basketball under his belt, he should have experienced a ton of growth come the Olympics in Paris.
Patty Mills
Mills has been the leader of the Boomers over the past decade - his 42 points in Tokyo's bronze medal game is all the evidence you need - and, at least spiritually, that shouldn't change in Paris. As long as he's healthy, a 35-year-old Mills would still be an extremely effective player at this level, and could very well transition into a role that could lift the Boomers to new heights. With Simmons and Giddey likely to be the two primary ball-handlers, that allows Mills to play off the ball more as a floor spacer; something the team lacked, to an extent, in Tokyo.
Joe Ingles
Again, health permitting, Ingles would be 36 in Paris, and his age shouldn't stop him from playing a role the team would absolutely need: like Mills, that of a complementary shooter. In Rio, China, and Tokyo, Ingles struggled to consistently perform as a primary and even secondary ball-handler for the Boomers, so a step back into being more of a role player - as a three-point sniper, making sure the floor is as wide as possible - could be the perfect shift for him. That's what he did in the bronze medal game, and it was extremely successful; he had 16 points, shooting 4-of-10 from downtown, most of which were good looks in the corners.
Matisse Thybulle
Thybulle was a revelation for the Boomers in Tokyo, not only providing that NBA-level wing and defensive presence, but also being a valuable spark and energy guy off the bench.
He's the ultimate plug-and-play wing because he can play and guard multiple positions in the international game, so, with more talent set to enter the Boomers team, his impact could grow even more. Thybulle has used this Tokyo campaign to solidify his spot on Boomers teams for as long as he wants to be a part of them.
Jock Landale
Landale established himself as a Boomers starter at the World Cup in China, kept that role in Tokyo, and is now headed to the San Antonio Spurs on a multi-year deal. That's some rise, and it's seen him become a Boomers staple.
We'll see how his game translates to the NBA level - at the very least, he'll see some development within a Spurs franchise known for that - but his impact in FIBA basketball is undeniable. That's especially the case on the offensive end, where the big-man continues to grow as a shooter and decision-maker at the top of the key. Next to someone like Simmons, you want as much floor-spacing as possible, and Landale has shown that he can bring that.
Nick Kay
It's time for everyone - including this author - to just accept that, while he's not the sexiest player, Kay is as effective as they come in the international game.
Kay can play both big spots, and has a knack for being the perfect complementary guy for whomever he's surrounded by. He has a good touch around the rim, can stretch it, and is seemingly always in the right spot on the defensive end. For a Boomers team that should be star-studded, they'll need that guy who'll accept being a role player and just do the dirty work. That's Kay.
Josh Green
We only saw glimpses of Green throughout Tokyo, and there's a good argument that he deserved more opportunity, because he showed to be a net positive on both ends.
Come Paris, Green will have been in the NBA for four years, and there's a good chance he can establish himself as one of the league's best perimeter defenders. There's just so much value in a player like Green, who can defend multiple positions and is also an underrated ball mover; if he can shoot it consistently over the next few seasons, then a starting role isn't completely out of the question either.
Danté Exum
If Exum is healthy, then he'd probably be closer to a lock than not, but that's obviously a big if.
Exum will be 30 by the time Paris comes around, and who knows what his career is going to look like over the next four years. The combo guard showed a lot of value in Tokyo as someone who can put pressure on defences, and he also shot the ball really well, so the skillset is definitely there for him to walk into the Boomers team in 2024.
IN CONTENTION
Isaac Humphries
The Boomers were relatively shallow in the frontcourt in Tokyo, and that was amplified when Aron Baynes went down with a tournament-ending injury. In the FIBA game, there's a lot of value in having a legitimate seven-footer; Humphries is that, and also happens to be the best defensive big in the NBL.
Injury kept the 23-year-old out of contention for these Olympics - he withdrew from the squad for that reason - but he should be toward the top of the list of bigs when selecting for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.
Duop Reath
The urgency that comes with an Olympics meant Reath didn't get many meaningful minutes in Tokyo, but, in the time we did see him on the court, he was clearly able to compete at that level.
His selection came from a mixture of a solid camp, and also necessity because of the absence of Andrew Bogut and Humphries, so his experience would definitely keep him in the mix for selection.
Dyson Daniels
If all goes to plan, Daniels will be Australia's next first-round pick, which means he'd have a good two years of NBA experience going into Paris. He's a defensive-minded combo guard who can get in the lane and finish with a really pretty, soft touch. At 21, he'd be Australia's youngster in 2024, but it wouldn't be right to tokenize him like that; there's potential for Daniels to make an impact by being part of dynamic defensive lineups.
Thon Maker
Maker is another Australian who withdrew from this Tokyo-bound Boomers squad, citing the desire to take part in NBA mini-camps in an attempt to get back into the league.
The seven-footer has the body of work that indicates he's worth a look at one of the bigs spots, and possesses a level of athleticism that this team doesn't have, so there's reason to take his potential selection seriously.
Xavier Cooks
When going up against Team USA, which almost seems inevitable, the value in having someone like Cooks - a rebounding, multi-positional, active forward - is huge.
Cooks would bring an athletic body to the Boomers, and he's one of those players who can shift the momentum of a game with his two-way energy. At the very least, he's a guy worth having at camp to keep the intensity high.
Jack White
White is in a similar situation to Cooks: a versatile forward who can provide a multi-positional defensive presence, and also just a good locker room guy.
The hope is White returns from his Achilles injury without a hitch and can get a few NBL seasons under his belt. If he does that, then his inclusion at a camp - for his potential fit, and also to get him involved in a program he's likely to be part of in the future - could be valuable.
Dejan Vasiljevic
When we get to this part of the list, we're focusing on one of the Boomers' weaknesses throughout this Tokyo campaign, and that's complementary shooting. In this instance, there's a chance we see the likes of Mills and Ingles step into those roles, but it'll be 2024; shooting isn't going to get less important.
That's where there's scope for Vasiljevic to get a look. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in his ability to knock down open threes. He's a specialist, and we saw with Chris Goulding's success just how valuable that piece can be.
Mojave King
The same argument can be made for King, who definitely has the scope to use a big season with the Adelaide 36ers to thrust him back into the draft mix, before forging an NBA career. If that goes to plan, King's inclusion - which, of course, would be dependent on getting his Australian citizenship - wouldn't just be 'because he's an NBA player'; he has a skillset that would help the new core of these Boomers.
Tyrese Proctor
Let's get really crazy. Tyrese Proctor is a 6'4 combo guard who is still just 17, but has all the looks of a future Boomer. He can create separation for his shot better than perhaps any prospect Australia's ever seen, and he's swiftly rounding out his game to the point where it wouldn't be surprising to see him on draft boards sometime soon.
By 2024, he'd be 20, and potentially in the mix as one of those young players you could round out your bench with. It's a long shot, of course, but when we have that inevitable conversation of whether a guy should be chosen with 'a look to the future', there's a good chance Proctor's name will come up.