This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Joe Ingles is about to become a three-time Olympian and a first-time father of two children.
Ingles will return for a third season as a forward with the Jazz, following an eventful summer schedule that includes another Olympic basketball tournament with Australia in Rio de Janeiro. Ingles' wife, Renae, is due to deliver twins Aug. 4, the day before the Opening Ceremony. Ingles is hoping for an early arrival, but he intends to be in Rio for the start of the Games, regardless of when the births occur.
Renae Ingles, an Australian star in netball — a sport that resembles basketball and is played internationally, but not in the Olympics — supports her husband's approach. "She's a sports person and she understands," Ingles told The Advertiser of Adelaide. "She knows what it feels like to represent Australia."
While playing professionally in Spain, Ingles grew into a major role with the Australian team in the 2012 Olympics in London. He averaged 15.6 points in six games as the Boomers reached the quarterfinals, before losing 119-86 to the United States. Ingles played all 40 minutes of that game, scoring 19 points — finishing as the game's second-leading scorer, next to Kobe Bryant (20).
At age 20, he had appeared in each game for Australia in Beijing in 2008, scoring 11 points against the Americans in a quarterfinal loss. "I've played for my country since I was allowed to, really," Ingles said in April, during the Jazz's exit interviews. "I'm definitely excited to play. It means a lot to represent my country, especially at an Olympic Games. … I love it. Obviously, I'll continue to do it until they don't want me anymore — which might be soon."
Ingles punctuated that sentence with his usual, wry smile. He'll be 32 in 2020, creating the possibility for a fourth Olympics with the Boomers. Having averaged 9.9 points in 81 games in 2015-16, his second season with the Jazz, he's expecting to contribute significantly to Australia's effort in August and is hoping for a stronger showing against the Americans. The teams will compete in Group A with China, Venezuela and two qualifiers from July tournaments. The Boomers will meet the U.S. team Aug. 10 in preliminary play.
Ingles believes that with seven NBA players potentially on their roster, the Australians will be less intimidated by the Americans this time. "They're still superstars," he told The Advertiser. "But there's seven of us playing against them and, in a couple of instances, with them every night. They lose a bit of that aura."
He enjoys the closeness of the Boomers. The seven NBA players gathered in San Diego during the All-Star break in February. In addition to Ingles and Jazz teammate Dante Exum, the Boomers include Golden State's Andrew Bogut (from the University of Utah), Cleveland's Matthew Dellavedova, San Antonio's Patty Mills, Detroit's Aron Baynes and Chicago's Cameron Bairstow. Bogut missed the 2012 Olympics while recovering from an ankle injury.
Exum sustained a knee injury last summer in an exhibition game with Australia and missed the 2015-16 NBA season. His status for the Olympics remains subject to discussion among himself, Boomers administrators and the Jazz. Exum is "getting closer and doing everything he can to get there," Ingles recently told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Ingles, Exum and Jazz staff member Zach Guthrie are scheduled to participate in a Basketball without Borders camp in late June in Melbourne, working with 45 players of ages 15 to 17 from 17 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.
The Boomers will begin their Olympic preparation with a July 5-10 training camp. The roster will be trimmed from 17 to 12 players, then Australia will play two exhibition games against the Pac-12 All-Stars, including Utah guard Lorenzo Bonam, July 12 and 14 in Melbourne.
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Joe's averages
Joe Ingles' game-by-game scoring totals in the Olympics:
Beijing 2008
Opponent Points
Croatia 7
Argentina 2
Iran 2
Lithuania 2
USA 11
London 2012
Opponent Points
Brazil 15
Spain 15
China 13
Great Britain 11
Russia 20
USA 19 —
Jazz in the Oympics
The status of Jazz players and their international teams for the 2016 Olympics:
Dante Exum • Involved in discussions with Australian team officials and the Jazz about his participation in Rio, while rehabilitating his knee.
Rudy Gobert • Intends to join France's entry in Rio, but won't participate in a qualifying tournament in early July.
Gordon Hayward • Eligible for selection by USA Basketball in late June.
Joe Ingles • Assured of an Australian roster spot for his third Olympics.
Raul Neto • Will play for host Brazil.