Thybulle Primed for International Play

but also the Boomers beat. Now that Matisse Thible is playing with Team Australia, what's that been like so far? I know it's just exhibition games and we're gonna start with that, but what has it been like covering a new team, the Green and Yellow, Golden Gold. Come on, Matt, get it together. No, I'm just kidding. It was actually

really fun. I'll be honest. I think, well, so the Sixers have more of an international presence than just Matisse, but it just so happens that where we're at right now July twenty twenty one, he's the only one that's playing in the Olympics. So I have become a temporary Australian Boomers account on my Twitter. You wouldn't know what team I cover if you went and checked these days. But it's been a lot of fun and it's it's cool to watch a different team get exposed to some

different players. You know, we're so in the weeds with this group of seventy sixers that we don't have the opportunity to watch guys like Patty Mills and Joe Ingalls and some of their young guys that are coming up in the draft, which I know is something you're excited about. So it's just been cool to watch other players excel and then to watch one of our seventy sixers excel

with a new group. I'll also, in case anyone happens to be listening, shout out the Australian basketball Twitter community because they've been very welcoming, very good to me, and I've really enjoyed getting to know some folks from not across the pond down under right right. And I will take some fault for the green and gold mishap, but the color itself, even if they say green and gold on the uniforms, it's more it's a yellow so they

look sharp. It's just it's a new colorway, new color set for Matisse to don his uniform, and the Boomers have looked great so far, and we are, as I said, going to start with exhibition play, which a bunch of the teams went out to Vegas and played each other for a few weeks. Three and oh Australia. The fourth game against Team USA, which was a rematch, was canceled. They did beat Team USA in that three and oh timeline of exhibition games. So what were your takeaways from

not just Team Australia but Matisse Thyble International edition. Well, first of all, credit to all the players that are out there hustling, grinding, playing right after a really long season. It's been cool to watch guys come together on new teams so quickly, and I think that this Australian group

is a perfect example. Of course, some of the guys on this team have been playing together for a year, and so that's been a really cool thing to watch, is they have this existing chemistry even though they're not playing together regularly during the regular season. The chemistry. It was cool to watch a team that clearly has an identity already and then to see matissee get folded into

that existing identity so quickly. It seems like he fills a role that this team needs in such a versatile, agile wing defender, and it just looks like from Afar that the guys have really embraced him, which I think is a great thing for any young player to get some experience in the offseason with a new team, with a different group that plays a different style. But as we'll talk about in a little bit, I think there are a lot of takeaways that Matisse can bring to

his game in his third year as a sixer. Right, we're going to tie this into his young sixer's career, what that has looked like, what it might look like in the future, and how this international experience can play a role. Statistically, he scored the ball really well in the games where he saw normal minutes outside of the third game, where the starters were arrested for the most part and the regular rotation players for Australia were rested.

But he scored double figures in the first two, nine steals, five blocks overall between the three games, and he also shot it well from deep, five for seven from three, so not just the defense, also the scoring touch. I liked what I've seen from him in terms of aggressiveness on the offensive end and shooting the ball with some confidence.

I think the debut was a lot of fun. He finished with fifteen points, four steals, three blocks in his first time playing at least competitive minutes with a new team, three for three from three in that game over Argentina, and I liked the key offensive role that it seems

Matisse might play for this team. Whether he's in the starting lineup as he was in that third game when people were resting, or he's coming off the bench, which he's accustomed to doing with the Sixers, he is going to be relied upon more for offensive contributions, and I think Matisse doesn't have to participate as much in the offense on his Sixers team, where he's not a primary

offense option. He's not a secondary offensive option, and it's great when he contributes with the Sixers, but it's not really what he does with this team. So now to have an opportunity where not only is he getting the chance to contribute offensively, but he's also going to be relied upon to contribute offensively regularly, I think is a

really cool growth opportunity. Great to see that confidence shooting from three, which we started to see in the playoffs prior to the season's end, of course, but but really cool opportunities for him all around it and cool to see him embrace it so quickly, going into a new environment and really not skipping a beat putting a bow for the most part. On exhibition play, something we are used to seeing Batist do is everything on the defensive end,

and there highlights galore on that end. One that stood out to me and virtually everyone else was the block of Kevin Durant, because if we're used to seeing him excel defensively, not many players ken block Kevin Durant on that type of shot in the lane with Durant's length. He also blocked Damian Lillard in the Team USA in For me, that's like the most notable highlights so far, but there were a lot. I mean, you were a part of the social media presence sharing these highlights. The

Durant one made a lot of waves. Yeah, he was all over the place, even the charge he drew in the third game. Like, there's been so many opportunities to see Matisse do what he does well at a high level. I do think that the rule changes and the slight differences with officiating in international play, fever rules honestly play well into Matissa's style on defense. There have been a lot of no calls that might have been calls during

an NBA season. So cool to see him get to experiment with things that he does well and sometimes gets maybe unfairly penalized. Again, maybe I'm not one to comment on officiating, but cool to see these guys just get to play sort of seamless and obviously exhibition play. Maybe they're letting those games happen a little bit quicker, But I agree with you that block on KD was really special.

I know Sixers fans got really excited about that one, and I think folks watching as t USA fans that might be the first time that Matiss has really been on their radar in a major way, unless you're a fan of a team that played a longer series with the Sixers this year or last year. Really cool to see him get credit for the stuff that he does so well, and I think that's only going to continue as this international run develops. They are a lot of

fun to watch as a team team Australia. And before we get to how Matisse can build off of this, experience and what the Olympics might look like. When we talk about his role, there's obviously a whole new set of coaches that are coaching him, so he's getting some

different perspectives. And I'm going to use this space to interject my own Boomer's story in the sense that please I was in the G League Bubble with the Delaware Bluecoats, the Sixers G League affiliate, and one of the assistant coaches for Australia is Matt Nielsen, who is the head

coach of the Austin Spurs. And one thing that stands out from my time in the bubble, the Austin Spurs were the first playoff opponent for the Delaware Blue Coats, so they played against Matt Nielsen's Spurs team, and this just speaks to the type of culture that Matisse is now a part of. The Bluecoats beat the Spurs pretty

good in the first playoff game. Every team in the Bubble had their own team room, so it was a few hours after the game and there's a knock on the door and it's Matt Nielsen, and he comes around and individually congratulates every Bluecoats staff member for the playoff win and wishes everyone the best going forward in the playoffs. So that is someone who now Matisse Thyble is learning from with the whole staff and a chance to just

learn more and grow in different ways. But that was something I was like, that is so very like international basketball. To congratulate the winning team afterwards. Well, it's such a cool community. You know, if you listen to our programming, you know, I'm a sucker for wholesome content. To me, that is like the pinnacle of wholesome content. Those of you listening if you're in the mood for some more whole content. Credit to the folks that run the Australian

Boomers Instagram feed. Make sure you're following them if you want to continue to see some wholesome content. But this is the type of team where clearly these guys have great relationships, meaningful relationships, guys that are playing in their fourth Olympics together, but are also welcoming in a new cast of characters into that family. And it's been really cool to watch from afar. International basketball is awesome. I've

missed it. It's been well, I guess at least since the elast Olympics five years since we've gotten a chance to watch teams do this, but yeah, I'd love to love to hear those anecdotes from the gubble, So thank you for that one and cool to see the wholesome content continue to roll through. And when it comes to Matisse's sophomore NBA season with the six years, of course, All defensive second team at the NBA level one point six steals per game, over a block per game this

year in his second season, which was way up. How do you think he can continue to build off of the success he just had at the NBA level that included more playoff experience in his second season, a couple of rounds worth of playoff experience. How does he build off that here? Well, to me, it's all about that three point shooting that he got so comfortable within that second round series with the Hawks. He was really really

strong from three during that stretch of seven games. And then to see him continue to be as strong, if not stronger from three, obviously he's barely missed any not just started catch and shoot either. There was one going back to the highlights, one pull up off the dribble transition three. Well, that's the thing, right like on this Sixers team. Matisse isn't relied upon to create for himself, understandably so, but maybe on this Boomers squad he is

going to be relied upon to create for himself. And that's never going to be a bad thing to know how to do, even if you're not going to do it as frequently when you come back into the NBA and join your teammates with the Sixers, it's a great skill to have in your back pocket. You never know when you're going to be needed or called upon to create. More offensively, we've seen throughout Matisse's career, I think little

flashes of him being a really good creator. He can make some nifty passes, obviously, his reflexes are pretty tremendous. So cool to see him get to hone in on an area where he can grow because the defense is already so elite. But then again, to be relied upon it not just given infrequent opportunities, to really be asked to contribute there and to rise to the occasion and

answer the call. So we saw more of it in the playoffs in his sophomore season, We're seeing more of it in international play, and of course as he continues to grow with this team. We're going to see more of it with the seventy sixers. So love that he's getting this opportunity and then something else when it comes to returning to MBA games next season and with the Sixers, it seems like he came in and played himself into even more of a role than some people knew. He

had to prove himself a little bit. It is an established group that he's playing with, but from what I've gathered, it seems like even if he starts or not, he's a part of the group that might close the game. I'm not going to ask you to play coach, but experiences like that, if he's on the floor at the most critical times of high level games, when there's something on the line in the form of medals this time around,

that could bode well for coming back to Philly. Just getting important minutes at the end of games, being a part of the closing lineup perhaps such a good point. It's like almost getting a bonus playoff run. And as a young player. We talked about this throughout Matisa's career. We talked about it with Tyrese as well. When you're a young player that comes into a good team the

room for error. There's there's no margin for error. He's only played two NBA seasons, both have continued to have included playoff runs in which he's been relied upon to not make mistakes, and there aren't that many chances to learn to do that at a high level. Of course, if things continue the way they're going, he's going to have a lot more playoff runs in his future. So to have this Olympic experience where every game is going to count things down the stretch are going to be meaningful.

It's just it's a bonus playoffs and it'll almost be like, should the Sixers find themselves in the playoffs once again next season, it would be kind of like his fourth playoffs, not his third. So absolutely love the competition that's ahead for our guy, and let's go there. Because what is ahead is the Olympic Games in Tokyo, and Australia is

expected to be in the mix metal contention. Perhaps I know I'm not extremely well versed in Australian basketball history, but they suffered a tough loss and missed out on a metal the last time around. Many of those players a part of this team as well, so their group is Germany, Italy and Nigeria. They're not in a group with Team USA, but just overall, as the games will count, what excites you the most for that Well, as you know if you follow me on Twitter, I'm now officially

an Australian Boomers band. Look like I'm American. I'll always root for Team USA, but in this Olympics, I'm going all in on the Boomers. It's a perfect opportunity for them to get that metal that they've so openly been chasing and will cove it and will appreciate and the way that the bracket has broke, the way that they've played obviously in these exhibition games, it really does feel like a good opportunity for a team that's been working

so hard towards this goal to aulish it. And how cool to get to watch one of our sixers potentially be a part of that run. So for me, like I'm all in on the Boomers. Their games are their exhibition games are going to be at four thirty am Eastern time. That question, I'm not committing to watching all of them live. I maybe on this podcast I'll commit to watching at least one of them live. Well, there's a whole series of steps that you have to take

if you're not going to watch them live. You have to mute all the keywords, you have to maybe mute accounts for certain periods of time so that notifications from certain apps so that you don't spoil the result for yourself if you were going to wait, wake up and watch the game in its entirety true, Look, I'm gonna be honest, I'm gonna try. I'm gonna do my best. I can commit to doing my best. I'm just saying that the game, the results of the games might be

spoiled for you if you don't watch them live. But I'm also not committing to watching them live. So yeah, look, I'm not gonna commit, but I'm gonna say I'm gonna do my best. Obviously, as the Olympics continue on those that timing for Philly fans will get a little bit more friendly as primetime shifts to try to accommodate for

folks watching over on this side of the world. But yeah, just really looking forward to watching them, and of course international basketball in general, Like it's so cool to watch NBA players that you're so accustomed to seeing in their NBA colors play for a different team, excel on an international scale. Great to I mean, obviously we know a lot of these guys are friends off the court, so cool to see them developing bonds playing against their own teammates.

That's something I always like to watch for regular season teammates clashing against one another in international play, and there's gonna be a whole lot of that to come. I'm a huge Olympics fan. I don't know if people don't know my background. I was a gymnast all throughout my growing up years, and so the Olympics is sort of like the calendar that I lived on for a really

long time. So every time the Olympics rolls around, like my TV is going to be on twenty four seven, Like the last time my TV was on twenty four seven, it was during the election, And so now I think we're going to do that same sort of model where it's muted at night, but it's on to make sure that I don't miss out on any Olympic content. I'm pupped.

Matt Murphy, I am also pumped. And for those that we'll be watching from Australia, the time slots for the games are much better obviously, but congratulations to you, because in fairness, the Sixers have a lot of Australian fans and those folks are staying up at weird hours to watch the Sixers. Now it's their time, you know what. It's the least we can do is to deal with

this obscure timing and I'm going to embrace it. Last thing, their first game, Australia's first game Sunday, July twenty fifth against Nigeria. In that group I mentioned with Germany and Italy as well, Nigeria is the only opponent that was a common opponent from the exhibition games in Vegas, so what did you learn there? And Nigeria has a lot of NBA players, that's going to be an interesting first

matchup to watch. It's going to be interesting. However, I'll be honest, Australia didn't have a lot of trouble and they didn't play their best players, So looking forward to sort of seeing them clash a new with their best guys available to face Nigeria, knowing that they did a good job against Nigeria without their best guy is available.

Even Matisse didn't play very much in that one, so really looking forward to it and if you're still listening, I can continue to tell you guys about my personal life. I will be on the West coast actually for that first one, which means that it'll be at one thirty, which means that maybe I'll stay up for it. I don't know, Matt Murphy that too much. I mean, that is much better, I think, because I don't know. I'm

an early riser here in Philadelphia. I like to I like to get up around six six thirty, So I don't know, Man, you have a few days between all of these games to recover as well, unless it might be better. It might be more favorable if they were all together, so you could just stay on the same sleep schedule and not have to alternate back and forth. But we have a little bit of time to plan for that. One other notable event coming up just about ten days from this recording. Ten days to be exact

as we talk right now. The NBA Draft Thursday, July twenty ninth, and the Sixers have picks twenty eight and fifty. The last few years the team has done well in the twenties, so I'm also excited not just for the Olympics, but for the NBA Draft coming up. We'll have plenty of coverage surrounding the draft here on our seventy six Ers podcast network feed as well. But Lettis Thibel, Tyrese Maxie. What do the twenties hold this time around? We will find out soon enough. It should be fun to watch

that as well, no doubt about it. The Sixers have, in my humble and biased opinion, struck gold in the twenties for two seasons straight, so let's see what happens this year. I am looking forward to it. As always. My last note on these Olympics. I think I'm more likely to stay up for them if the same group of like devoted fans are watching that we're watching these exhibition games with me, because there were some obscure times on those, and if that group is staying up, I

feel it is my job to serve. So if you're listening, if you want to let me know if you're planning to stay up, that will greatly influence my coverage plan.

Please hit the DM DM. Sorry, and that was a great plug there, but or an engagement tactic, But I think there's something to be said for watching a game after everyone's seen it, Like there's great real time engagement, but they might be interested in hearing your takes when you're the only one on the feed talking are the timeline talking about it after the fact, when everyone's seen it already, you can offer It'll be You'll be unique. You'll be the only one out there talking about it

at a certain time. So we're gonna have to deal with the choice between figuring out who's interested in what I have to say in the middle of the night, versus figuring out who's interested in what I have to say after the game has already ended. It's going to be interesting. Maybe I'll experiment with both. If you're along for the ride, make sure you're following us at Lauren m Rosen on Twitter and on Instagram. Matt Murphy is

at Matt Underscore Murphy. Oh four very common names, So I had to throw an underscore in and a number because there's a lot of people with my name And to the devoted Sixers fans and Matifes, but wow, how many times if I said matiese Thible and I can't do it now the Matifs Bible fans, please make sure you are letting us know what time content you would

like to see as we move forward. Thanks Matt, this was fun absolutely, and anyone listening here on the seventy six Ers podcast network that's not already following our other feed, the Scoop, make sure you check that out as well, because, in addition to the Olympics and the Draft coming up, we also have a series going over there, So follow the Scoop search seventy six Ers Scoop wherever you listen to your podcasts, and you can get new installments in

our exit interview series talking about Sixers from the twenty twenty twenty one NBA season. That will do it for this episode for Lauren Rosen, I'm Matt Murphy. As always, thanks for listening.