Ibaka wants to play for Spain at World Cup but says decision isn't his alone

TORONTO (Canada) - Serge Ibaka doesn't want to discuss his prospects of returning to Spain's national team with coach Sergio Scariolo right now since the two are focused on the Toronto Raptors' bid to capture an NBA title.

But Ibaka, who last represented his adopted country at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, has made it clear to everyone else that he certainly wants to be with the team when it competed in China.

"I’d love to play with Spain but it’s not my decision," he said to the Spanish media. "I'd like it but the decision is not mine, it's a difficult decision for everybody, for me, for the federation and the coach, we'll see what happens."

Spain could also call on Nikola Mirotic, who helped the country capture the FIBA EuroBasket 2015 title and then finish third at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Like Ibaka, Mirotic did not feature in any of Spain's 12 European Qualifiers for the World Cup.

Ibaka has played very well this season for Toronto, averaging 15 points and more than 8 rebounds per game to help the NBA's only Canadian team to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto slipped up at home, 104-101, in the opening game of their play-off series.

"I'D LIKE IT BUT THE DECISION IS NOT MINE, IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR EVERYBODY, FOR ME, FOR THE FEDERATION AND THE COACH, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS."- Ibaka

Ibaka says the national team and the World Cup is not a topic that he readily frequently discusses with Scariolo, who is an assistant coach with the Raptors.

"The truth is that we do not talk much about the national team because we know that now the work is here and we have to be professionals," he said.

"There are a lot of people who think that since we are on the same team, we talk a lot about the national team. No, we only talk about what we have here, and when summer comes we will see what happens."

FIBA