Basketball On The Internet.

MARK Bradtke hated Tony Ronaldson and Brian Goorjian with such a passion, he went out of his way to avoid his Melbourne basketball contemporaries.

That probably also was true of his feelings for John Dorge, but I neglected to ask the NBL's 2002 MVP and the link-man in the Tigers' almost-legendary Gaze-Copeland-Bradtke triple threat that one.

In fact, it was during a typically spirited interview with Bradtke this week - in relation to his great contemporary Luc Longley winning the assistant coaching appointment with the Boomers - that any of the above came up.

Goorjian, the master coach who won two titles at South East Melbourne - both over the Tigers - three at Sydney Kings and another at South Dragons, was "the enemy" as far as Bradtke was concerned.

So too Ronaldson, the Adelaide-born (he loves that) power forward who finished with an NBL record 662 games and two championships alongside Goorjian.

Referring to the fact he, Longley, Andrew Vlahov and Shane Heal grew up together "in the Boomers" Bradtke said their understanding of each others' games played no small part in Australia's elevation from the minions into medal rounds from 1988-2000.

"The game is about small details," Bradtke said.

"It's all in the detail, how to execute something, how to have a relationship with your teammates.

"When I was playing at Melbourne for example, playing with Lanard Copeland and Andrew Gaze became so easy.

"We just knew each other so well. I could just say to Copes, next time down the floor, I'll set a backscreen for you and you had the trust in each other."

Bradtke said he was sure one of the traits Longley would bring in support of new coach Andrej Lemanis' tenure at the Boomers, would be the building of similar relationships.

"Him working with Aron Baynes had a big effect on the kid, and his execution of the pick-and-roll (at the London Olympics) was terrific," Bradtke said.

"As a three-time NBA championship-winner, Luc can talk to players differently as an ex player.

"As an assistant coach, he can become more of a confidante and your go-to guy.

"To be able to talk with Luc is a great opportunity for all those young guys.

"He can bring so much more - we really did grow up with the Boomers."

Bradtke, Longley and Vlahov were three athletically gifted AIS kids who then-Boomers coach, Adrian Hurley, elevated into his Seoul Olympic team.

It caused quite the furore at the time, just as Andrew Gaze's selection in Lindsay Gaze's 1984 Olympic team had critics - most notably almost exclusively in Melbourne, funnily enough - crying "nepotism".

Time, like a spotlight of immeasurable lux, has glaringly laid bare the folly of those sentiments.

But when Bradtke, who now runs an indoor sports centre and who, with sons aged 12 and 8, is part of the weekend junior-sport taxi service, talks of "growing up" in the Boomers, he truly means it.

"Tony Ronaldson was an opponent and I hated him with a passion," Bradtke said.

"It was part of that Tigers-Magic period when we had that great rivalry and were fighting for the championships."

But being teammates representing Australia rapidly changed Bradtke's perception.

"It was the same with Goorjian," Bradtke said. "I hated him ... hated him.

"Then one time he was invited to come along to a Boomers camp and help out at practice.

"I remember it like it was yesterday. We were having breakfast as a team together and everyone was seated around this long table.

"There was only one place left when I walked in, and it was next to Goorjian.

"I reckon I did at least two laps of that table trying to find another spot to sit.

"But I had no other option. So I sat down, we started talking, and I found out he was a good bloke, very funny, very knowledgeable."

It was when Bradtke learnt, as he tells it, that you could still have fierce rivalries and competition. But once you donned the green-and-gold, you stuck together through everything.

"I had four Olympics with Drewey, all of them with Vlahov, three with Luc - the coaches were consistent and we had a core group which grew together," he said.

He sees that emerging again now with Joe Ingles, Patrick Mills, Matt Dellavedova, Baynes, and, hopefully, Andrew Bogut, the core of the Next Generation of Boomers.

For Mark's full views on that, check out this story at adelaidenow:  http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/mark-bradtke-is-sure-that-luc-longley-can-help-push-the-boomers-forward/story-fndekpx4-1226642354771

And as for Vlahov, Longley's long-time pal?

His final thought on Luc running with the Boomers instead of the Bulls was: "He is a ranga. What else is there to say??"

Not a thing.