RIO DE JANEIRO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - The winds of change are blowing in Brazilian basketball. They have been for almost a month, now.

The six-year reign of Ruben Magnano as the country's senior men's national team coach ended just two days after the conclusion of the Olympics in Rio last month. The South American giants are charting a new course.

The men will play at the FIBA Americup 2017 and then begin their qualification campaign for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Over a four-year cycle from 2017 through 2021, national teams will play regular home and away games to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the FIBA Continental Cups in 2021.

For now, Brazil must get rid of their Olympic hangover. Without injured NBA big men Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao, Brazil put up a tremendous fight yet double-overtime heartbreak to Argentina and narrow losses to Lithuania, Croatia and the Argentines by a combined 14 points prevented the team from advancing.

The situation was far worse for the women, once the most dominant team in international basketball. The 1994 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup winners and silver medalists at the Olympics 20 years ago in Atlanta, a program that was led by the legendary player Hortencia, failed to win a game in Rio. 

"We need to improve our basketball from the bottom, from the kids, because that's the key to make basketball grow." - Brazil veteran Guilherme

One member of the men's team that is going to hear only praise for his work is the unheralded, long-time Brazil forward, Guilherme. At 36 years of age, his days in the national side appeared to be drawing to a close before the Rio Games.

Yet a couple of terrific, near spectacular performances in the defeats to Croatia and Argentina, may lead the new coach to keep Guilherme on the roster.

In 10 minutes against Group B winners Croatia, he buried 2 of 3 shots from the arc and finished with 11 points and two days later against Argentina, Guilherme had so much confidence and energy that Magnano played him 30 minutes. He nailed both of his 3-pointers in that game and finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds.

Guilherme gave Brazil a big lift in games against Argentina and Croatia

The Sao Paolo-born player, who represented Brazil as far back as the World Championship for Junior Men in 1999, is among many in the country calling for change.

"Always after an Olympic Games is a good moment to analyze the situation of the basketball in the country," he said. "This is no different. We have a very difficult situation for our confederation (CBB) right now and we have to re-think a lot of things about our basketball.

"We need to improve our basketball from the bottom, from the kids, because that's the key to make basketball grow.

"Youth development, administration, reorganization - for me, there should be something like a revolution. Let's see what happens. It's a very particular situation."

Guilherme's talent allowed him to play for some very good basketball teams in Europe, including in Spain, Italy and Ukraine. While overseas, he learned a lot. In fact, the majority of his career was spent playing for professional clubs in tough leagues on the old continent.

"For sure we have to bring ideas from these countries (Europe), I know a lot of people over there," he said. "We need to bring good ideas from the U.S. but then we have to work. That's how it is all over the world. We have a lot of human material to be one of the highest basketball teams in the world."

Cristiano Felicio will have a big role moving forward for Brazil

Swift change, he says, is unlikely to happen.

"Our country politically right now,  I don't think in the short term we will change many things," he said. "We can change something but not much. We've got to work on that."

One of the positives for Brazil was that in Rio, they had terrific crowds that made a big difference for the national team. The fans gave the team a lift in hard moments of games. The crowds will show up in big numbers to support Brazil when they launch their World Cup qualifying campaign.

As for who will coach the men's and women's team, it remains to be seen. The confederation only had words of praise for Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold-medal winning boss Magnano, and for women's coach Antonio Carlos Barbosa. Barbosa is also not continuing at the helm.

"They are two excellent professionals, Olympic medalists and who have given their contribution to the national teams," said technical director Vanderlei Mazzuchini. "Therefore, the confederation appreciates the professionalism and dedication of each. As in the coming months we will have no adult competition, substitutes will be determined in due course."

FIBA