Olympic gig has UA coach 'pinching' self

University of Arkansas assistant David Patrick has been named an assistant coach for the Australian Olympic basketball team.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
University of Arkansas assistant David Patrick has been named an assistant coach for the Australian Olympic basketball team. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas assistant coach David Patrick attended Olympic basketball games in Sydney in 2000 and Beijing in 2008 as a fan.

Patrick will have a better seat this summer when the 2021 Olympics -- delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic -- are scheduled to be held in Tokyo.

Patrick will have a court-side bench seat as an assistant coach for the Australian Olympic team known as the Boomers.

"I'll be prime time," he said.

Patrick, a Bermuda native who grew up in Australia before moving to the United States as a high school senior, was an assistant coach for the Boomers in 2019 when they finished fourth at the FIBA Basketball World Cup to qualify for the Olympics.

When Patrick was hired at Arkansas last spring after two seasons as California-Riverside's coach, he got an assurance from Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman and Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek he could be on the Australian Olympic team's staff.

"They were gracious enough to say I would be able to do that," Patrick said. "I think it helps the university and our program to be able to be on the world stage."

[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1eCrSGxZyU]

Olympic basketball games will be played July 25 through Aug. 7.

Patrick said he expects the Australian team to gather for training camp -- to be held likely in either California or Las Vegas where exhibition games can be played -- in early July after the NBA season ends.

The Boomers have three NBA players Patrick recruited and coached previously as an assistant at Saint Mary's and LSU: Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers).

With recruiting likely to continue via video conferences, Patrick said he'll be able to talk with prospects even though he won't be on the Arkansas campus.

"I can be in Japan and still recruit on the computer," Patrick said. "It's also good to be able to tell a recruit, 'I'm busy right now. I'm at the Olympics getting ready to prepare for LeBron [James] and James Harden.'

"That's not a bad thing to talk about when you're recruiting them from afar."

Patrick -- who played collegiately at Syracuse and Louisiana-Lafayette, and professionally in Spain, France and Australia -- said it was his dream to play for the Boomers in the Olympics, but he never made the team.

The next best thing is to help coach the Boomers in the Olympics.

"For me, or any athlete, to play for your country or to able to coach for your country is the pinnacle of sport," Patrick said. "Now to be able to coach on the international stage, you know I'm pinching myself."

Upcoming Events