CLEVELAND (NBA/EuroBasket 2015) - Timofey Mozgov was once deemed a project in the NBA.

Despite being tall and athletic, there were plenty of question marks about the 2.15m center's future.

In the early days of his first season with the New York Knicks in 2010-11, Mozgov was a foul magnet.

He often left the court almost immediately after entering games.

If the Knicks were intrigued by his potential, they were unwilling to wait for him to become a force because the club traded him during his rookie year to the Denver Nuggets.

He had more success in the Mile High city with the Nuggets, but was traded again, just a couple of months ago, to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Now Mozgov finds himself in arguably his best NBA situation yet.

He is winning games, and doing so with his former Russia national team coach, Cavs boss David Blatt.

"I have known David for a couple of years now and I am happy to be working with him again," Mozgov said to FIBA.com.

"He knows my way of playing very well.

"He is a great and successful coach.

"I had one of the best moments of my career so far with him when we won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics.

"I will never forget that moment.

"He has been doing a great job so far in Cleveland and I am sure that he will have a great career as an NBA coach."

Mozgov was important to Blatt's Russia teams and it's the same with the Cavs.

In his last 10 games with Cleveland, Mozgov has averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

He looks comfortable in a team that is not short on talent, one that has USA national team superstars Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love.

If Mozgov has an important role with Cleveland, imagine what he is going to mean to Russia this summer when they compete at the EuroBasket.

His absence from the national team at EuroBasket 2013 was a factor in their abysmal showing in Slovenia, one that saw the crash out of the tournament after just five games.

As a consequence, the country ranked sixth in the FIBA bwin Ranking Men missed out on the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Mozgov says no one should make the mistake by thinking Russia will not be hungry for success when they arrive in Montpellier, France, for their Group A games at EuroBasket 2015 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Poland, Finland and France.

There is going to be a lot at stake, including a couple of berths to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

"The group is very interesting," Mozgov said.

"France is going to play at home and will have a lot of fans supporting them.

"The others teams are also very competitive but we have also a solid team.

"The tournament is going to be very nice and a lot of different teams can fight for the title.

We (Russia) are ambitious and we want to have a great tournament - Mozgov

For now, Mozgov is fully focused on the Cavaliers, a side that has a chance to go deep into the play-offs and challenge for the NBA title.

While the team has has some hard times this season, it has also won 38 games and lost just 24.

Cleveland's record since Mozgov's arrival is 19-7.

They are fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Mozgov has offered tough, hard-nosed play on both ends of the court.

"We are playing at a very high level now and we would like to keep the same dynamic in order to be ready to have a successful playoff campaign," Mozgov said.

"The team had some difficulties at the beginning of the season but now the chemistry is very good.

"We have an impressive roster and very talented players at every position.

"Every player is happy to play here and we have a very solid and united group of players. We want to have a great season and fight for the ring."

The native of St Petersburg is also cognizant of the fact that Andrei Kirilenko's departure from the Brooklyn Nets to CSKA Moscow leaves him as Russia's main flag-bearer in the NBA.

I am very proud to represent my country in the best league of the world. - Mozgov

Mozgov, 28, sees that as a great responsibility.

"Andrei had a great and long career in the NBA and he helped a lot of Russian players to have an opportunity to play in this league.

"I am doing my best every night to make my countrymen proud of me. It is always great to meet Russians in the different arenas in the NBA.

"They love basketball and it feels great to have them cheering for me."

FIBA