BEIRUT (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - Asian icon Fadi El Khatib just declared that the 2017 Lebanon national team will be the best ever.

Yes, that's even with the entry of both Australia and New Zealand into the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 that will take place at home in Beirut later this year.

"Definitely Australia and New Zealand are the better national teams, especially since they have in their rosters big NBA players," Fadi El Khatib admitted. "Some of the Asian teams will face problems, but as for Lebanon, we have previously shown that we fear no one and will fight till the end whoever we are playing against."

If you don't consider that unbridled confidence, then you're dead wrong. Fadi believes that aside from his own tried and tested skills, the Cedars of 2017 will feature a lot of up-and-coming talents that will help him carry the team back not just to relevance but to excellence.

One of those key players is young gun Wael Arakji, who is unfortunately still nursing a shoulder injury that prevented him from finishing the 2016-2017 Lebanese Basketball League (LBL) season with Al Riyadi.

"There are many players who have a great shot at playing for the national team, but I would be very happy if Wael Arakji can overcome his injury and join us," said El Khatib. "He is needed badly in our national team, and I need him with me as my point guard."

Aside from having Arakji, the Lebanese Tiger is also expecting Lebanese-Australian big man Julian Khazzouh to finally suit up for the national side after years of being unable to play at the Asian level. El Khatib believes that having both Arakji and Khazzouh gives the Cedars a potentially explosive pairing.

"We have a good chance with Julian Khazzouh finally joining," he said. "We need him as a good 4 or 5 together with Arakji, who is a combo big guard."

El Khatib's confidence in his national team also stems from how the LBL has really provided a vibrant and competitive professional circuit for the country's top tier hoopsters. Doing so has helped keep the national team's main players fit and ready.

"The LBL in the past 2 or 3 years is doing well and developing more and more," El Khatib explained. "The level is improving in our league, and many kids are into basketball more now, which is why I started the biggest sports complex in the region - 'Champs' - to better develop the skills in Lebanon."

"My earnest wish is to concentrate more on the local players and young players so they will have a better basketball future."Fadi El KhatibFadi El Khatib

After coming out of international basketball retirement and knowing that this may well be his final tour of duty with the national team, El Khatib has one clear goal this year - winning nothing less than the FIBA Asia Cup title, and he has utmost faith that Lebanese fans will be in for a treat as they will see the best from their idols when they host the tourney in August.

"The team's main target will be winning Asian championship in front of our fans, and to do that we should have a well organized program for training and a team not based on names but based on chemistry," the 38-year-old explained. "We will be prepared and ready to play the best basketball the Lebanon national team have ever played."

Those are no less than big fighting words, and living up to them is necessary if the Cedars will renew their glory days in international hoops.

FIBA