BRATISLAVA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - It will be a significant, some would say colossal, achievement for the Slovak Republic if the team reaches the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers.

The national side won just once last summer, against Albania, in its FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers. Since becoming an independent republic, which officially happened on January 1, 1993, Slovak Republic have yet to make it into the Final Round of a FIBA EuroBasket.

Slovak Republic will try to reach the FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers

To claim a spot in the 32-team FIBA World Cup 2019 European qualifying field, which gets underway in November, the Slovakians must be among the eight sides that survive this summer's 13-team pre-qualifying campaign.

They need to finish in the top two of a group that includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden and Armenia.

"I would say other groups are easier than ours because we have a tough Sweden, which is always competitive, we have Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has EuroLeague and NBA players in its team, and there is Armenia," Rudez said to FIBA.com. "So it's a very challenging summer ahead of us."

Slovak Republic look like they will be underdogs, yet Rudez says his players will battle. They will give everything.

"I don't think we are without chances," he said. "Basketball is an attractive game because in history, it shows a lot of nice stories can be made and I hope we will have a nice story to tell after this summer. But if you ask me, I'd be happier in another group."

Obviously the FIBA qualification system is going to help as far as building a wider basketball fan base and hopefully it will also give us a chance to compete on the big stageIvan RudezIvan Rudez

Why would Rudez - who is the older brother of Croatia international Damjan Rudez - and the Slovak Republic jump for joy if they made it successfully through pre-qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup? They would reap more benefits from FIBA's Competition System 2017+.

The 32 teams (eight that make it through pre-qualifying and the 24 that will compete at FIBA EuroBasket 2017) will play regular home and away games to qualify for the World Cup. Meaningful home games in six windows, with the last in February 2019, would give fans more opportunities to see their national teams. This is good for sponsorship because national teams all over Europe will be in the limelight.

"I'm for this system," Rudez said. "I think it's good to put the national team at the center of attention, to put the national team competitions at the center of attention for fans, not only sponsors, to get everybody excited.

"Obviously the FIBA qualification system is going to help as far as building a wider basketball fan base and hopefully it will also give us a chance to compete on the big stage.

"That has never been the case in the history of Slovak Republic. They have never been a part of European competitions (EuroBaskets).

"They have been close in the past throughout the qualifications but they have always been a shot or two short of qualifying for Euros. This is our ultimate goal, to become a part of EuroBaskets."

Even if Slovak Republic do not make the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, Rudez says it important for the country to make strides in the sport, particularly in player development.

"They love team sports," he said of Slovak Republic. "They love basketball. Slovak Republic is a central European country as a part of Czechoslovakia, which used to be a sports superpower.

"There has always been a basketball culture. But the system of developing players has been lost over the last 20 years so a lot of young players leave the country from an early age for high school in the United States, for academies all over Europe.

"What we want to do is give Slovakian players that are in Slovak Republic the best development program in the U18, U20 categories."

Rudez says the key for Slovak Republic is player development

One way to do this would be to set up academies or to have institutes of sports. The solution, however, may be found in the club system. Rudez thinks that is the answer.

"I think it would help to have at least three teams, one in the east, one in the west and one in the center of the country, that have good youth programs," Rudez said.

"I think this would be a big upgrade in the next two or three years, and of course training camps for the national teams and to give those players a proper development program. Hopefully in this way, you get them to stay in the country and develop players here."

Don't be surprised to see some youngsters gaining valuable experience in the FIBA Basketball World Cup pre-qualifiers. Mario Ihring, the point guard in the Slovak team at last year's U18 European Championship Division B, is among those that could end up playing for the senior team this year.

FIBA