GRAN CANARIA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Anyone who's listened to Australia's leading basketball talent in the past 12 months must have noticed a change.

"Ever since last year when we came into camp to face New Zealand our goal has been to win a medal," said point guard Matthew Dellavedova.

"That's all we've talked about and that's where the expectations have been at."

It hasn't just been a PR line either, with senior players like Joe Ingles and Dave Andersen making it clear the Boomers won't succeed unless they expect to.

"They said we all want a medal, so we shouldn't be afraid to say it or feel uncomfortable putting it out there," Dellavedova said of a key goal-setting session in 2013.

That confidence hasn't even been dented by the withdrawals of Patty Mills and Andrew Bogut from the Spain 2014 team.

Dellavedova attributes that newfound confidence to each player embracing the specific roles coach Andrej Lemanis has for them and "just doing whatever this team needs."

For the 23-year-old playmaker, that starts with scrutinising the little things when watching his tapes.

"Am I picking the point guard up full court and setting the tone defensively? We want to be an aggressive defence and that starts with me and the four-man who’s up with me," he said.

"And then offensively are we running the stuff well? Are we getting enough inside looks? Are we playing with enough pace but enough poise as well?"

That defence is going to be a key in Saturday's FIBA Basketball World Cup opener against counterpart Goran Dragic and Slovenia.

"We've been watching  a lot of tape on them and they're a good side with a lot of shooters, obviously led well by Dragic," he said.

"It's going to be a clash of styles, defensively we like to disrupt and offensively they like to run their stuff, so whoever can get the upper hand there for more of the game might decide it."

Dellavedova is confident that will be Australia. Their public hunger for a medal has ensured their preparations have been meticulous and their training intensity world class.

"That's been really good for us because it's held us at that standard each practice," he said.

"Everyone knows that's what we're here for."

FIBA