SACRAMENTO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - There is an immense amount of talent available for Greece across the globe and now it's all about piecing it altogether to complete the puzzle.

That's not only a popular belief of basketball fans around Europe and elsewhere, but also the thoughts of Kosta Koufos, a proud member of the national team.

"We have a good team and once we've got all the pieces of the puzzle connected, I think we will be very good," the center spoke of the team's sky-high potential to FIBA.basketball.

"I was born in the States, but putting that 'Hellas' jersey on is definitely a blessing. It's a pride thing."Kosta KoufosKosta Koufos

And it's hard to argue with that. From Giannis 'Greek Freak' Antetokounmpo continuing to impress in the NBA to Ioannis Bourousis representing the sky-blue-white brand of basketball all the way in China, their prowess is undeniable.

Having been born in Canton, Ohio to Greek parents, Koufos might not be your traditional graduate of Greece's renowned basketball school but, as the saying goes, blood runs thicker than water and representing the national team is very much a big deal for him.

"Being Greek-American, I'm definitely proud to be Greek as well. I was born in the States, but putting that 'Hellas' jersey on is definitely a blessing. It's a pride thing," he explained.

However, the big man could not be with his teammates for FIBA EuroBasket 2017, as he was dealing with the consequences of a previous hand injury that had been bothering him for a while.

"Everything is a hundred percent now. It's one of those things you needed some time to get healthy. I played through it all [last] season and it was just one of those things you have to take care of," Koufos said.

In his absence, Greece still reached the Quarter-Finals where they were somewhat surprisingly eliminated by an enthusiastic and reinvigorated Russia side.

The last time Koufos represented Greece was at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Italy, but their Rio de Janeiro dreams were then cut short by a talented Croatia.

"We played hard in the Qualifiers and we just came up a little bit short. We lost to a very good team. At the same time, you learn from your mistakes, you move on, you push forward and you try to improve the next time you come around," the player spoke of the lessons learned.

"Players that got selected have to get credit for what they've been doing. They're playing their hearts out and I'm very proud of what they're doing."Kosta Koufos Kosta Koufos

Although it has been a couple of years since he played for Greece, he has been doing his best to keep up with how the new-look national team has been doing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers.

One of six teams still undefeated in Europe through four games, the Greeks have already secured a ticket to the next phase of the competition and that, according to Koufos, deserves a lot of respect.

"They're playing hard. It's one of those things that players that got selected [for the national team] have to get credit for what they've been doing. They're playing their hearts out and I'm very proud of what they're doing," the NBA-er tipped his hat to the players who represented Greece in November and February.

Three of the wins for the national team came in Heraklion on the island of Crete, where Greece elected to play their home games.

"That is nice. I don't remember the last time when I played for the national team and we had a home game, except for friendly games. It's a good environment in Greece and we have great fans."

The last two games of the First Round of the European Qualifiers against Israel and Estonia will be played in June and July and, with the NBA season in the books, Koufos could once again be a key part of the puzzle for Greece.

FIBA