![Illawarra Hawks captain Sam Froling at a team training session. Picture by Robert Peet Illawarra Hawks captain Sam Froling at a team training session. Picture by Robert Peet](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/kZL4qV6yTxfrWZJxKQxjSN/1fcff764-afe6-4941-8e6e-706445abea39.jpg/r0_24_5472_3113_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's not inconceivable to say that Sam Froling could be in Japan representing Australia at the FIBA World Cup.
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Instead the Illawarra Hawks skipper has been training the house down with his team-mates at The Snakepit in preparation for the upcoming NBL season.
Froling was part of the extended Boomers squad for the World Cup but was left out of the final 13, who take on one of the host nations Japan on Tuesday at 9.10pm {AEST}.
Nine NBA players are in the Boomers squad which started their World Cup campaign with a 85-82 loss to Germany.
Froling would have loved to be part of the Boomers' World Cup squad but said the experience of being part of Australia's extended squad was invaluable.
"It was an awesome experience, I learned a lot and I'm just hungry for more of it now," he said.
"It's definitely something I want down the track but for now it's all about working hard here with this team."
Now in his fifth season with the Hawks, the 23-year-old said he was relishing his leadership role at the club.
"With the captaincy last year and again this year, it's an important role for me and we've got to respond positively to not such a good year for us last year.
"With the new squad we've got it is looking promising, as the season comes it's going to get more and more exciting I think," Froling said.
"We've got a lot of talented guys in here now.......Lachie [Lachlan Olbrich] is a young, talented guy. Mason [Peatling] is an experienced guy that brings a bit of leadership.
"Then we've got young Luca [Yates] from Townsville as well who's just starting his career off.
"Then Gary [Clark] is the other one who is super talented and gives us plenty of experience.
"We are certainly deep in these positions and it's going to be a battle every night for minutes and it's going to be fun."
The new look Hawks get a chance to show what they're all about when they play the New Zealand Breakers in a pre-season fixture at The Snakepit this Sunday from 3pm.
Froling said the intensity of the players at training heading into the season proper was especially pleasing.
"Everyone is getting after it, everyone is hungry for wins and to do well," he said.
"We need to win games. You got to set your sights on winning the championship. If you don't have that mindset coming into the season, I don't know why you're playing.
"So for us, we want to win games for us and also for the fans who have been so loyal to us. They always turn up whether it is a winning season or losing season, they're always there, so we want to reward them as well."
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