Kay will skipper the side when they begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Chinese Taipei in Okinawa, Japan on Friday.

The honour sparked in him the memory of waiting to learn if he had been selected in his debut Boomers squad ahead of the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup.

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"And being told I made my first Boomers team, that smile would not leave my face," he said, adding that the "feeling flooded back to me as I was asked to captain the Boomers team".

Kay said being exposed in the Australian side to players such as Patty MIlls and Matthew Dellavedova meant he had "learnt so much about what it means to be a Boomer".

"And I hope I can use that to instill that Boomers culture into the young group we have here in Okinawa," he added.

Representing Australia, he continued, "is one the proudest and most meaningful experiences of my life".

"The opportunity to wear the green and gold doesn't come around very often," he said.

"So I am very excited to share this experience with the quality group we have here and the nine first-time Boomers."

Kay is based in Japan, where he is playing his debut season for the Shimane Susanoo Magic.

Rob Beveridge, the Boomers' head coach for the Asian leg of the World Cup qualifiers, said it had "been a privilege to watch Nick grow both as a player and person over the past few years".

"He is one the hardest working and most professional players that I have coached," Beveridge said.

Friday's clash will be followed by qualifiers against Japan on Sunday and Chinese Taipei on Monday.

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