BEIRUT (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - Wael Arakji is no longer an unfamiliar name for diehards of Asian basketball. The 1.92m guard who plays for Al Riyadi Beirut has been one of the toasts of Lebanese basketball since debuting for their U18 team in the FIBA Asia U18 Championship 2012, where the Junior Cedars finished a strong seventh in a field of sixteen. Lebanon defeated the likes of India, Hong Kong, Syria and Saudi Arabia, but they lost to deeper teams like Iran, the Philippines, Korea and Japan. Despite not finishing on the podium or even among the top five, though, Lebanon had a few standout players from that squad like Jimmy Salem, Gerard Hadidian and Elie Chamoun, but Arakji is the one who has really been able to make a great name for himself.

Arakji and the Lebanese team are in a proverbial crossroads at the close of 2016 and heading towards a pivotal 2017. With so many veterans no longer involved in the national team, a younger set that includes Arakji has been called upon to take up the cudgels for the Cedars. Recent results from Lebanon’s U16 and U18 teams have been quite promising, but the onus is really on Arakji along with other up-and-comers like Amir Saoud, Ahmad Ibrahim and Ali Haidar to prop up the ship and continue Lebanon’s tradition on hardwood excellence. They have actually not advanced to a world level tournament in six years, so achieving good results next year is very crucial to the direction of the national team. Arakji, of course, is at the vanguard of that campaign for Lebanon’s continued resurgence.

He bared some his thoughts about the future with FIBA.com.

FIBA.com: Lebanon missed out on many major tournaments this year like the FIBA Asia Challenge and FIBA OQT. How does this affect the country’s program for the national team?
Arakji: We are a country where the game's level deserves a better management. Unfortunately, this has affected us negatively, but we Lebanese are known for being competitive in any tournament. That is due to the spirit and passion we have to our flag, but still other national teams are having a better chance to improve.

FIBA.com: What will it take for Lebanon to return to the top level of Asian basketball and maybe even play on the world level again?
Arakji: We just need better and longer preparations. Most of the national teams start their preparations four months before the start of a competition , we should be doing the same.

FIBA.com: You are one of the rising stars for Lebanon. What kind of role do you expect to play for the team in the future?
Arakji: My dream is to lead my nation as others did in the past. I played a major role in 2015 with the NT and also this year with my team (Al Riyadi). I am hoping to be one of Lebanon's future leaders.

FIBA.com: Do you think you are already at the same level as some of the best guards in Asia (Jayson Castro, Kim SunHyung, Makoto Hiejima, etc.)? What aspects do you still need to work on?
Arakji: I'm working hard on a daily basis, and thankfully I have received interest from a few European clubs and even a D-League team. Next year, who knows, right? I may get a call to play overseas. All those players mentioned are big Asian names with a lot of experiences and who played several FIBA Asia tournaments, while I have only had one. I want to eventually be like them, and I can hopefully achieve that with hard work and perseverance.

FIBA