Recent Perth Wildcats acquisition and University of Arizona star Anthony Dell'Orso has been named in his first Boomers squad. He'll be ready to represent Australia as they get set to take on Syria and Jordan in Australia's FIBA World Cup qualification campaign.
For the 23-year-old, the call-up caps off a long journey. "Yeah, super excited to play for Australia, it's been a long time in the making with college and other commitments, but finally able to wear the green and gold jersey."
The news itself came in an unexpected way. "I found out through Rillie while he was recruiting me to Perth. He just gave me a call and asked if I would be interested in playing and I said yes. From there, just told my family the news and they were happy."
Dell'Orso has played his last four years in the American college basketball system, spending two seasons with Campbell before transferring to the Arizona Wildcats to finish his college career.
He led Arizona, scoring a team-high 26 points against Iowa State in the Big 12 semifinals to help his team advance and eventually win its first Big 12 championship. Dell'Orso helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 25 years. Across his college career, Dell'Orso averaged 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Reflecting on how that run — along with a stint in the NBA Summer League — has prepared him for the international stage, Dell'Orso is confident the experience will translate. "Being at Arizona helped me tremendously, learning through practice and experiences which was a great help in advancing my career to get me to summer league and will eventually get me to the NBA. Both Arizona and summer league experiences will allow me to represent Australia at my highest ability."
Dell'Orso continued his strong 2026 campaign by representing the Sacramento Kings at the 2026 NBA Summer League before announcing he is returning to Australia, signing with the Perth Wildcats in the NBL.
The move back home, he says, has come with a mix of familiarity and freedom. "Being in Perth has been great so far. Not exactly home for me but still is fun to be back and experience the Aussie lifestyle again. Rillie and Perth have been great to me in allowing me to play how I want to play with the ultimate trust and backing."
In his first games during the 2027 pre-season for Perth, Dell'Orso impressed, scoring 23 points and hitting 5 three-pointers against the Cairns Taipans.
Dell'Orso now prepares himself to make his Boomers debut on the 28th of August when they take on Syria at Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines. The Boomers will play in Manila once again against Jordan on the 30th of August 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.
