MADRID (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - European juggernauts Spain will have to survive a "demanding" journey if they are going to reach the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

That is the assessment of national team coach Sergio Scariolo, who will lead the team in Group A of the World Cup Qualifiers against Montenegro and Slovenia. They will also take on a side that emerges from the Pre-Qualifiers.

"It's a demanding group, with strong, talented teams that have tradition," Scariolo said on the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) website. "They obviously have some important players in the NBA but a high number of quality players in European basketball that will probably be a part of the squad selection for the Qualifiers."

The top three sides will advance to a 24-team Second Round with 12 ultimately reaching the World Cup.

Spain have a NIKE FIBA World Ranking of No. 2 and are coming off a third straight Olympics when they captured a medal. The national side will not have Pau or Marc Gasol for the first two qualifying windows because of their NBA commitments yet Scariolo and the FEB have known this for a while.

"The demand of this group (Group A) forces us to give a lot of importance to the qualifying phase and reconfirms that we have done well to start to plan a specific work with a larger number of players of those that will be able to go to FIBA EuroBasket," Scariolo said.

Spain will be the favorites heading into FIBA EuroBasket 2017 after marching to the title two years ago. Pau Gasol was the MVP of that tournament and Sergio Rodriguez earned a spot in the All-Star Five.

Spain gave the USA their hardest game in the knockout round at the 2016 Olympics, an 82-76 triumph for the Americans in the Semi-Finals.

Scariolo's team bounced back and edged Australia in the Bronze Medal Game, 89-88.

Spain celebrated a Bronze Medal Game triumph over Australia in Rio

Slovenia, ranked No. 12, have high expectations going into the FIBA EuroBasket with Goran Dragic back in the side. Dragic did not play at FIBA EuroBasket 2015 but did return last summer and helped Slovenia qualify for this year's tournament.

He will not be available to play for Slovenia in the World Cup Qualifiers in November or February but could feature in the third window at the end of June and start of July. Teams will need a top-three finish to advance to the Second Round.

 
Zoran Dragic will be a crucial player for Slovenia in World Cup qualifying

Dragic's brother, Zoran, one of the most important players in the national side, said: "Both Spain and Montenegro are very good national teams so I expect a very interesting qualification...playing qualifications in 'football' mode is something new for us. I hope that we'll perform well in all the games."

Indeed, the World Cup qualifying system is similar to that of soccer's qualification for its major tournaments.

Bogdan Tanjevic coached Turkey at the 2006 and 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cups but is now in charge of his native Montenegro, a unit he oversaw last summer in its successful qualifying campaign for FIBA EuroBasket 2017. Tanjevic coached the team in some very exciting games in 2016.

The experienced Tanjevic gives Montenegro an edge against most rivals

The Montenegrins, ranked No. 34, will have a lot of insight into Spain because they will also meet on 1 September at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Their first World Cup Qualifier will be at home to Spain on 23 November.

"It's a good, strong and interesting group," Tanjevic said. "Once again, we're going to face Spain in our first game, the same opening day opponents we have at FIBA EuroBasket."

Tanjevic says he'll have to wait and check on the form of his players before he can give a realistic assessment of his team's chances in the qualifiers.

"In any case, much will depend on how much playing time players have at the clubs, what kind of basketball they play and at what intensity," he said.

FIBA