Australia's NBA superstar Andrew Bogut will return to where his basketball career began on Saturday when he joins the Boomers World Championship development squad at a team camp in Canberra.

Bogut was informed by Basketball Australia that he was not required to attend the camp which starts today and runs till Sunday, but the NBA’s number one draft pick has turned down the offer and will join the 22-man development squad.

An AIS scholarship holder from 2002-03, Bogut has been in Canberra visiting family and friends and is more then happy to help out the young up-and-coming players ahead of the World Championships in August.

Melbourne Tigers big-man Chris Anstey and Lithuania-based Matt Neilson where also not required to join the group until the Boomers' second camp in Gosford next month.

"It's an opportunity for a lot of the young guys to experience what it's like to train with the Boomers and learn the expectations that are going to be put upon them at that level," Boomers assistant coach Brendan Joyce told Doug MacDougall from the Canberra Times.

"This is a development camp and a try-out camp for some people who feel they want to impress, and you just never know what might come out of it."

Despite the development camp title, this camp is a great opportunity for the young guns to impress given the vacant point guard position that is available following Stephen Black’s withdrawal following injury.

Among the contenders are South Australian Brad Newley, who withdrew from the 2007 NBA Draft after six weeks of gruelling training in the United States with several NBA teams to take part in the camp.

Australian US-based College players Aaron Bruce (Baylor University) and Daniel Dillon (Arizona University) are other highly touted replacements, but Dillon will have to wait until the Gosford camp to prove his wares after withdrawing from the AIS camp with a foot injury.

Joyce said the injuries would give younger players, such as AIS youngster Patrick Mills, a chance to show their skills. A position in the Boomers starting side come August, however, was unlikely.

"I think that's probably a big call for some of those younger guys," Joyce said. It's an opportunity for them to gain some experience against the older heads and to see what's required to be at that level.

"However, you never know, and the guard position is fairly open."

The Boomers' first hit-out will be at a Test series in Hobart on July 17 and Melbourne on July 19.