BARCELONA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Kostas Papanikolaou enjoyed so much success as a star in Greece's youth teams and with Olympiacos at the beginning of his career in his homeland, that his first season away has at times seemed like a struggle.

He won titles at the 2008 U18 European Championship and 2009 U20 European Championship, and added championship triumphs in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013.

So far with Barcelona, though, Papanikolaou has only been able to come close.

In the Copa del Rey back in February, Barca were just one second away from a win in the competition in Malaga when Real Madrid's Sergio Llull buried a go-ahead, game-winning jumper.

Then with an opportunity to avenge that heartbreaking loss, Barcelona crashed to a 100-62 defeat to Real at the Euroleague Final Four.

The 23-year-old Papanikolaou, coming in as a two-time Euroleague champion, arrived with a lot of fanfare. He was a player who was going to help the club capture a European title and become the number one team in Spain again.

The campaign has not gone as well as he had hoped.

In the three-point shooting department in the Euroleague, for example, Papanikolaou entered the season having hit 44.8 percent (74 of 165) with Olympiacos but with Barcelona, he made 22 of 61 attempts (36.1%).

His rebounding numbers were down.

Papanikolaou is not disheartened in the slightest.

"Of course it's not been my best season, but I know that it’s my first season after leaving Greece," he said to FIBA.com.

"I know it's tough and I know I have a lot more to give to the team.

"But I'm very happy here. Everyone helps me, the coaching staff, my teammates help me a lot.

"We have a good chemistry and I'm thankful for that.

"My wish from now until the end of the season is to give my best and help my team do its best.”

The aim now is to help Barcelona overcome Valencia in the Spanish Liga Endesa semifinals to set up another showdown against Real Madrid, the heavy favorites in the other last-four playoff clash against Unicaja Malaga.

In just 82 days, Papanikolaou will wear a different jersey, one that has the letters H-E-L-L-A-S emblazoned on it.

Papanikolaou will play for his national team.

Greece will compete in Group B at the FIBA Basketball World Cup against Argentina, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Croatia and the Philippines, and Papanikolaou gets excited just thinking about it.

"Of course it's early to talk about this but the national team for me is a proud thing, an honor," he said.

"If it's a World Championship, a European Championship - for me it's the same because I'm very happy when I represent my country and I'll try to do my best for them.

"Of course I'm excited to be a part of this team, to be beside all of these good players and known players in Europe.”

It's tough to know what to expect from Greece this summer.

They were strong candidates to advance to the London Games via the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Venezuela but were knocked out by Nigeria.

At EuroBasket 2013, Greece appeared to have an extra bounce in their step under new coach Andrea Trinchieri but had their Group D campaign disrupted by an injury to Vassilis Spanoulis.

While they advanced from the opening stage, Greece did not make it to the Quarter-Finals in Slovenia and needed a wild card to play at the World Cup.

The poor result is expected to lead to a change at the helm, with Fotis Katsikaris taking over.

The coaching change has not been confirmed yet, however.

As the No. 5 side in the FIBA Ranking Men, most people believe Greece are a team that can challenge for a medal.

This was the national team, remember, that won EuroBasket 2005 and then one year later stunned the United States at the FIBA World Championship in Japan to reach the title game.

"We don't need to say big words, but just put the work in on the court," Papanikolaou said.

"It's too early to talk about this, but I hope that everyone will be in the best shape, everyone will work as hard as we can to be the best that we can be at the World Championship (World Cup)."

FIBA