ZARAGOZA (Liga Endesa/EuroBasket) - Jonathan Tabu is in the middle of a long basketball journey.

A 28-year-old playmaker who's earned a living playing the sport in his home country of Belgium and more recently Italy, Tabu has now taken up his toughest challenge by joining CAI Zaragoza in Spain's Liga Endesa.

Tabu has followed in the footsteps of his fellow Belgium national team guard, Sam Van Rossom, who left CAI for Valencia Basket during the summer.

After the high of representing his homeland at the EuroBasket in Slovenia, the 1.90m Tabu is finding the switch to the Liga Endesa difficult so far.

"I got a lot of confidence in Slovenia," Tabu said.

"We finished ninth.

"Then you come to a new place and sometimes you are a little tired and you're not doing well, so you start thinking a little bit.

"But it's just a matter of time to get into that rhythm."

Four games into the Liga Endesa season and Tabu is averaging four points, one steal and two turnovers in 16 minutes per game.

His numbers are a little better in the Eurocup.

"Spain is good, but right now I'm struggling with the adaptation to the new system, the team," he said.

"The Eurocup is okay, but it's in the (Spanish) league I'm struggling and trying to adjust my game to this type of game.

"I know it's going to come because I have the skills and have got to be patient."

Tabu and Van Rossom were adversaries on Sunday night.

They squared off against each other when CAI travelled to Valencia, and the home team blew the game wide open in the second half before walking off the court as 96-76 winners.

Van Rossom, who is eight months younger than Tabu, has been a big hit in Spain the past couple of years and he's predicting good things for Tabu.

"He just needs to be patient," he said.

"I remember when I came to Spain for my first year, I needed time to adjust, too.

"I came here from Italy as well. The game here is faster.

"You need to get to know everything, the referees and how you can play defense.

"It just takes time. I'm sure he'll get there. He's got enough quality to make it."

Come next summer, Tabu will again be reunited with Van Rossom and Belgium as the national team tries to book its place at a third straight EuroBasket.

The Final Round will be held in Ukraine in 2015, and it will serve as a qualifying event for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

"When you go to a EuroBasket, you want to go back," Tabu said.

"I think the federation will try to get the best players together again so we can get back in two years. We're going to do everything possible."

It's a good sign for Belgian basketball that established clubs like CAI and Valencia want Belgium's players in their squads.

FIBA