The "Dr" is in
TweetTWENTY years ago, Frank Drmic ran out for the Boomers at the FIBA World Championship. On Friday, his little brother Anthony runs out for the Boomers in Japan, hoping to help Australia qualify for FIBA’s 2019 World Cup.
It’s a pretty decent legacy for the Drmic family of Melbourne, Anthony following resolutely in his big brother’s 1998 footsteps.
Frank, now 40, was a star forward for South East Melbourne Magic after attending the AIS and won the Gold Medal as a member of Australia’s FIBA Under-23 World Champion in 1997.
Anthony, 26, is a star forward for Adelaide 36ers, also after attending the AIS and playing for Australia at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship in 2011.
Anthony received the late call-up to join the Boomers in Japan after Perth Wildcats forward Jesse Wagstaff suffered a minor calf strain at the team's training camp, which concluded yesterday in Melbourne
With Wagstaff ruled out as a precaution, Drmic was promoted from the initial Boomers squad of 24.
A delighted Drmic, who is averaging 20.2 points at 44 per cent, 6.5 rebounds and an assist per game in 10 outings with the Dandenong Rangers in the SEABL, last night tweeted:
He will meet up with the Boomers in Japan. Australia plays the hosts on Friday (8.40pm AEST) and the Philippines on Monday.
With a 4-0 record to date, Australia already is through to the second round of FIBA qualifying which starts in September.
While Frank Drmic won an NBL championship in 1996 with the Magic and played professionally in Europe during his extensive career, Anthony was a highly-successful college player at Boise State University and was the NBL’s Rookie of the Year in 2017.
DRMIC INC: Frank and Anthony Drmic - their careers are following similar paths.
He also completed his stint at Boise as the college’s all-time 3-point record-holder, the school's games played record-holder, two points shy of finishing as its all-time leading scorer, and at No. 5 on the Mountain West Conference all-time scorers list.
Joining the Adelaide 36ers from college two years ago, after initially struggling to find his identity with the NBL outfit, Drmic reinvented himself as a key defender and rebounder.
Eventually his renowned 3-point shooting also kicked in and he romped to Rookie of the Year honours as part of a Sixers team which won the regular season championship.
The amended Boomers team for Japan and the Philippines is: Angus Brandt (Perth Wildcats), Jason Cadee (Brisbane Bullets), Matthew Dellavedova (Milwuakee Bucks), Anthony Drmic (Adelaide 36ers), Cameron Gliddon (Brisbane Bullets), Chris Goulding (Melbourne United), Nick Kay (Perth Wildcats), Daniel Kickert (Sydney Kings), Kevin Lisch (Sydney Kings- below), Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks), Mitch McCarron (Melbourne United), Nathan Sobey (Adelaide 36ers).