AMMAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Jordan have seen many strong players, but hardly anyone has been as productive and as consistent as veteran Zaid Abbas.

The 2.03m Abbas first saw action for Jordan's national team at the FIBA Asia Cup 2005 in Doha, Qatar, and he has been a regular fixture on most of the squad's iterations ever since. He was there for all the ups and downs of the national team, and he remembers them with fondness and gratitude.

"I have played a lot of big games with the national team, and these always will be in my memories," he said. "Of course, the top game was when we won over Lebanon to qualify to the World Cup in 2009. Another is winning over Iran to make the Final in Asia Championship 2011, but it is sad we lost against China in the Final by 1 point."

All throughout those peaks and valleys, Abbas has been one of Jordan's main men. He was there when Zaid Al Khas, Ayman Idais, Enver Soobzokov and Sam Daghles - all now retired - were still starring for Jordan, and he remains there now with the country's rising stars carrying the torch. He is the bridge of these two generations of Jordan's best and brightest, and that gives him newfound appreciation for his role as the team's voice of experience.

"As the oldest player in team, I try to keep playing hard and to keep the young players on the right track in big games," he explained. "I try to be the leader and to keep them working together."

He fulfilled this role quite well as Jordan went 2-0 in the first window of the Asian Qualifiers last month, inching closer to a possible return to the FIBA Basketball World Cup. This brought great joy to Abbas and to Al Nashama's loyal fans.

"I feel happy and proud of my team, the way we played hard and started with 2 important wins," he said.

He knows, however, that the clock is ticking and that sooner or later, he will have to follow the footsteps of his old teammates into retirement. When that day comes, though, he would still like to contribute to the national basketball program in any way he can.

"I think if we qualify to the World Cup it will be my last games with national team," he shared. "But I always would love to help the national team in any time or any way because it's my country and my duty."

Looking ahead, Abbas acknowledges that many up-and-coming talents like Mohammad Shaher Hussein, Ahmad Al-Dwairi and naturalized player Dar Tuckr are ready to lead Jordan in this new era of international basketball, but there is one other guy he is hoping to see represent Jordan.

"My little brother Hashem Abbas can help," he shared. "He is now 18 years old, playing with Bridgeport University in USA, and I can see he can help the team a lot in the future the same way I did."

At 34 years of age, Abbas is appreciative of the body of work he has produced for Jordan, aware of the impact the team has made on the progress of Jordanian basketball and how he has helped pave the way for a new wave of players to don the colors of Al Nashama. He is also filled with gratefulness for how playing for the national team has opened doors for him and how it has made an indelible mark on his life.

"Playing with national team changed my life and took my game to next level," he said. "It helped promote my name out to the world, and it gave me a big base of sporting connections all over the world. For that, I will always be grateful."

FIBA