Fadi El Khatib's Asia Dream Team

BEIRUT (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - Fadi El Khatib is adored by fans in Lebanon. The Tiger has shone for his country in international basketball for a long, long time.

El Khatib has been making waves since the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Indianapolis, when he averaged more than 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Now 38, he remains a force and will this summer show it when Beirut stages the FIBA Asia Cup.

If fans were to come up with a Dream Team in Asia, there's a pretty good chance El Khatib would be included. El Khatib has come up with his own Asia Dream Team and here it is:

Jayson Castro William, Philippines

Castro attacks the rim with ferocity for Gilas

The Gilas Pilipinas point guard puts the ball in the basket, create opportunities for teammates and defends. He's pulled many of the strings for his country the past several years, helping it become one of the best sides on the continent. The playmaker made the All-Star Five after the Philippines reached the Final of the FIBA Asia Cup 2013 and then turned it on for Gilas in 2014 when they made their first FIBA Basketball World Cup appearance since 1978. Castro again led his national team to a second straight FIBA Asia Cup Final in China two years ago, averaging 16.7 points per game en route to a spot on the All-Star Five. Last year in Manila at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), Castro averaged 13.5ppg in Gilas' two games.

Samad Nikkah Bahrami, Iran

Bahrami helped take Iranian basketball to new heights

The Iranians would not have made it to the top in Asia without the sensational Bahrami, a leader both on and off the court. The 34-year-old small forward shows plenty of flair and always steps up to make the important plays in the big games. Bahrami wowed the crowds as Iran won three Asia Cups (2007, 2009 and 2013) and he backed down from no one at the 2008 Beijing Games, pouring in more than 17ppg. Bahrami hadn't lost a step when the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was played, either, averaging 16ppg and he also excelled the following year at the Asia Cup when Iran finished third.

Fadi El Khatib, Lebanon

El Khatib has played against the best in the world with Lebanon

El Khatib not surprisingly picked himself for his Dream Team. What superstar wouldn't? Able to score in bunches, El Khatib can also make the pin-point, defensive splitting pass that leads to an easy bucket. His two most dominant displays came at the 2006 FIBA Basketball World Cup. El Khatib exploded for 35 points to lead the Cedars past Venezuela on opening day, 82-72, and he then erupted for 29 in a 74-73 upset of France. El Khatib seems to always be at his best at World Cups because in 2010, his opening-day 31-point haul fired Lebanon past Canada, 81-71.

Yi Jianlian, China

Yi has been China's most dominant player since 2009

Yi, who measures 7 feet (2.13m) in height, plays the game above the rim. He's made a living off turning alley-oop passes into ferocious slam dunks. Yi also makes his share of jump shots, crashes the boards for rebounds and swats shots like there's no tomorrow. An NBA draft lottery pick by Milwaukee in 2007, Yi has made many of his headlines with China at the last four Olympic Games. He was the MVP of the 2011 and 2015 FIBA Asia Cups.

Hamed Haddadi, Iran

Hamed has been Asia's top center for a decade

The towering, 7ft 2in (2.18m) Hamed has been hugely influential for Iran in all of their success. He scores, he rebounds and he blocks shots. In his first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup appearance in 2010 in Istanbul, Hamed had five swats to go with his 16 points and 9 boards against Brazil. Two games later and Hamed had 4 swats to go with his 23 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Tunisia. Iran have been a great team in Asia and a side that has made it to big international events for the past decade. It wouldn't have happened without Hamed.

FIBA