BARCELONA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Bostjan Nachbar will not be in the Slovenia shirt this summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain after deciding to bring a halt to his national team career.

The veteran forward's absence isn't what anyone wanted back home in Ljubljana, with the Slovenians set to go up against some tough opposition in Gran Canaria's Group D, where they will take on Lithuania, Australia, Mexico, Angola and Korea.

But Nachbar, who turns 34 on 3 July, felt the time was right to call it a day.

On the books of Barcelona, Nachbar on Sunday helped the team edge out Valencia in a best-of-five Spanish Liga Endesa Semi-Final to set up a clash with Real Madrid - who saw off Unicaja 3-1 - in the final.

Nachbar spoke to FIBA.com.

FIBA: You're still playing very well, Bostjan. Why have you decided to stop with the national team?
Nachbar: It's not because I'm quitting basketball, but I believe that I have done a lot for the national team over the years. The first time I played was around 1999, maybe, so it's been 15 years since I put on the national team jersey for the first time. Whenever I could, I was available. I just think it was a good opportunity for me to end it at home at the EuroBasket (2013 in Ljubljana). I kind of made it clear already, even though the federation and the fans tried to change my mind but my mind was set and I'm just happy it was a good national team career. It was very positive and I ended it on a good note.

FIBA: If you could go back to the beginning, considering the time commitments during the summers, would you play for the national team again?
Nachbar: I didn't play in 2007. I wish I had played but I decided to have the summer off and work on my own game. I was in the NBA at the time. I wish I had played. In 2008, I was without a team and without insurance. I didn't play the qualifying for the Olympics (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece). In 2011, I was injured and didn't play in Lithuania. I wish I had not been injured. When I look back, I wish I had played in every single one of those tournaments. So yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I just hope the new generation that is coming is going to play with the same pride and the same energy that we did.

FIBA: You've played with some of the players in the new generation already. Is there a genuine cause for hope that the new generation can at least maintain the high level that your generation has reached?
Nachbar: There is, at least for a couple of more big championships. I'm not so sure how good the generation after this one is. Unfortunately, everyone thinks we might see some problems in terms of quality and stuff but this new group of guys is going to be an exciting team, a team with a lot of guys with a lot of energy, a new type of basketball - up and down, fast. I think the fans are going to be excited about it. They're lacking experience at this point. If this group stays together for four or five years, I think they're going to be good, be a factor. And of course, with Goran (Dragic) leading the team, it's important to have a leader and he's the one.

FIBA: Now that you have decided not to play for the national team, do you plan on taking a much-needed rest?
Nachbar: I'll take a rest, but a rest will be a week at the most. After that, I'm going to go back and do either basketball or running, jogging, fitness, whatever it is to stay in shape because I think the older you get, the more important it becomes that you don't get out of shape. If I want to play at this level for the next two or three years, I need to stay in shape 365 days a year. I can't drop out of shape and then try to get it back.

FIBA: What about your club future? Are you signed with Barcelona through next year?
Nachbar: It's a team option. We'll see after the season. But I feel great here and I know they're satisfied with how I'm doing, so we'll see.

FIBA.com: How tough has it been to be with Barcelona and get the minutes you want? The team has quality from top to bottom.
Nachbar: We're stacked, especially if you look at the four and five position. We have six, seven guys that can play big minutes. It's an interesting team. In a lot of teams, what happens is guys would fight for minutes and that would mean they would fight with each other, have problems with each other. Here, it's not. I think coach (Xavi Pascual) does a really good job of explaining what we want to do and understanding what the rules are and guys have no problems with their minutes. And that's a very important thing.

FIBA