SLO - Nachbar: We're chasing a medal at EuroBasket

BAMBERG (EuroBasket) - Slovenia may be a country of only two million people, but that isn't stopping the Balkan nation from having high hopes at EuroBasket 2013 with star forward Bostjan Nachbar indicating the hosts are thinking of a spot on the podium.

"We’re not hiding the fact that we would like to win one of the medals," said Nachbar, who was a part of Slovenia's team that lost 57-56 to Greece in the Bronze Medal Game at EuroBasket 2009 in Poland.

"We have to see who’s going to be healthy and who’s going to be there. But if we do bring all the best guys together, I think we’re going to be in the mix.

"Winning one of the medals is all that we ever wanted, all we ever dreamed about."

After their fourth-place finish in Poland - the country's best result in senior international competitions since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 - Slovenia finished a disappointing seventh at last year's EuroBasket in Lithuania.

Part of the problem was Nachbar's absence from the team, as he was sidelined by an ankle surgery. Having to sit out was a huge blow for the Slovenj Gradec native.

"People who know me know that playing for the national team is a priority," Nachbar told FIBA.com.

"Finding out that I wasn’t going to be able to play was devastating for me. I didn’t show it as much maybe in public. But it really hurt me.

"I was devastated because I wanted to play and I thought we could really do big things with the national team."

Nachbar had also played a leading role in Slovenia's eighth-place at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. That was the last time he played for the national team.

While he was recovering from his ankle injury, Nachbar made the trip to Lithuania for EuroBasket 2011 and provided colour commentary for Slovenia TV – but not for Slovenian games.

"I couldn’t do that. I would be jumping out of my seat. But it was tough. It's not something that I would like to do again, at least not until I’m done playing,” he said.

And having to watch the Olympics in London rather than be there playing was another frustrating moment for the 32-year-old.

"Not going to the Olympics was a hard one because that was the main motivation trying to play in the Olympics once.

"As an athlete, that’s something that you can brag about forever. Unfortunately I have never had that even though we have been close a couple times,” said Nachbar, recalling how Slovenia came up short of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

For the 2.07m forward, the focus now is on getting back to his highest level in preparation for next year's EuroBasket in his homeland.

After playing in the NBA from 2002 to 2008, the last four seasons have seen Nachbar move to Russia then on to Turkey and back to Russia.

Before the 2012-13 campaign, he joined the smaller market team of Brose Baskets Bamberg in Germany to get more playing time and play a bigger role.

"Being one of the main players here is a refreshment for me and something that I was looking for. That’s why I made the decision to come here instead of playing a minor role for one of the bigger teams," Nachbar said.

"I just wanted to get back into playing big minutes and carrying the team, feeling the pressure. I didn’t have that the last couple of years. I really wanted that."

While he still has a lot of club basketball to play with Bamberg in the coming months, Nachbar can't help but look ahead to next summer when the world of European basketball converges on Slovenia.

"I think that’s going to be the highlight of my career and pretty much the careers of all the guys that are going to be on the team," he said.

"It’s huge. It’s hard to explain how big it is for our small country to host such a big event.

"People have been talking about it for a year or two now. So the pressure is rising, but it’s good pressure. Representing the country in front of the home crowd, definitely is the highlight of my career."

Nachbar is really looking forward to cherishing the world looking upon his small Slovenia.

"It’s going to be big. Slovenia is a small country. We don’t have many of these big events. For us, this is it. Who knows when we’re going to have it next? So it’s now or never pretty much for us," he said.

And there would be no better way for Nachbar and his teammates - and compatriots - to celebrate the occasion than with a medal come next September.

FIBA