At just 22 years old and fresh out of the American college system, Max Mackinnon has been called up to his first Australian Boomers' squad. The team gets ready to take on Syria and Jordan in their upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying window.
Reflecting on the milestone, Mackinnon admits the moment still feels hard to believe. "It's pretty surreal. Playing for the Boomers is something you always dream about, so to have that opportunity now is special, having had missed opportunities being over in the US and pre-draft stuff. Super grateful and want to do whatever I can to help the team win."
When the news came through, family was the first thing on his mind. "Straight away I told my grandad, then went to my Mum and Dad. They've been there for the whole journey and made a lot of sacrifices for me."
Mackinnon developed his craft as a junior in Queensland through the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence and made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets in 2022 at 18 years old.
Mackinnon then made the decision to leave Australia and play college basketball in the United States. He spent four years with NCAA Division 1 teams, including the Elon Phoenix and Portland Pilots, before finishing with the LSU Tigers. During his time at Elon, he was named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year.
Looking back on the five years away, Mackinnon says the experience shaped him well beyond the court. "It was massive for me. I think I grew a lot both as a player and as a person. I went over there at 18 and had to learn how to adapt to different teams, coaches and environments. Basketball-wise, I think I became a much more complete player. My game got better each year, but probably the biggest thing was learning how to compete consistently every day. Playing in the SEC, you're going against really talented players every night, so you have to find different ways to impact. I proved I belonged at the highest level in college, and David Patrick was big time for me and pushed me every day."
In Portland, Mackinnon burst onto the scene, finishing third in scoring in the West Coast Conference and being selected to the All-WCC second team. He also tied the school record for most points in a game with 43. At LSU in his senior season, he averaged 15.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Before returning to Australia, Mackinnon won finals MVP at the Adidas Eurocamp, helping lead his team to the championship with 21 points and 57% shooting accuracy.
Mackinnon has now returned to where he started his professional career with the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL. The homecoming, he says, has been a simple pleasure. "Yeah, it's great signing back and being home — just a home-cooked meal, that's all I need!" In his first pre-season game against the NBL1 North Select, Mackinnon scored 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Now he has earned the right to make his debut for Australia with the Boomers, and there's one moment he's looking forward to above all else. "Just putting on that Aus jersey! It's something you dream of as a kid and can't wait to compete with the group."
The squad will take on Syria in the first of their two qualifying games on the 28th of August at the Mall of Asia Arena. The Boomers will play one further game in the Philippines against Jordan to round out the fourth window of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Both matches tip off at 7:00 PM AEST and will be broadcast live on ESPN and affiliated streaming platforms.
ESPN is the official broadcast partner of FIBA World Cup 2027 in Australia and New Zealand.
