Longley, now an assistant coach with the Boomers, admitted the 23-year-old from Brisbane would have been a long shot to make the NBA when he saw him at a national team camp in Canberra last year.

"This time last year, I thought he would struggle to get drafted,'' Longley said. "He would've said the same. He would've laughed and would've said, 'I don't think so.' ''

Back at the AIS this week for a selection camp for the World Cup, Bairstow – a 2.10-metre power forward – is in the mix to make the final 12-man squad for Spain.

Bairstow was selected by the Bulls with the 49th overall selection in the draft, and signed a three-year contract after he impressed them in the recent Summer League tournament.

Longley was the starting centre for the Bulls during their championship three-peat from 1996 to 1998, alongside the legendary Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

"There's a bit of an Australian reputation there and it's always good to have someone who paved the way,'' Bairstow said. "He was the first Aussie to have a big impact in the NBA.

"It's a great organisation to be a part of and he speaks very highly of it.''

Bairstow has not only followed Longley to the Bulls, but he also played at the same US college, the University of New Mexico.

He was relatively quiet in his first three years before doubling his scoring in his senior year from 9.7 points per game to 20.4, while his field goal percentage (45.6 to 55.6) and rebounds (5.9 to 7.4) also went up.

''He's certainly assertive on the court,'' Longley said. ''He's put on a lot of strength and competes with an intensity and a ferocity that guys don't like to compete against. My personal theory is he grew up a lot into his game in that period, took that back to college and dominated.''

His work in the gym was a big reason for that.

Bairstow went from 95 kilograms to 113 kilograms during his four years at New Mexico. He also grew seven centimetres and he was known to lift weights after games while still in his playing singlet.

"It was a number of factors, but I think my involvement with the Boomers program and World University Games helped me,'' Bairstow said.

"It gave me the opportunity to play against men and at a high standard. Playing college kids your same age, it's almost a step down, so it definitely helped.''

Bairstow joins a Bulls roster that is gearing up for another title run after the acquisition of veteran Spaniard Pau Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers.

"The team's shaping up to be a championship contender and that's what they're aiming for,'' Bairstow said. ''You don't always get to choose where you go, so it's definitely an exciting time to be a Bull and a good situation to go into.''

The Boomers will name their final 12-man squad on Monday for the World Cup in Spain, from August 30 to September 14.