ASTANA (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - Kazakhstan are never going to have a better chance to reach the podium at a FIBA Asia Championship than this summer.

That's the opinion of their naturalized point guard from the United States, Jerry Johnson.

The Pennsylvania native, who was second on the team in scoring at the event two years ago when it was staged in Manila, said in an interview with FIBA.com: "At this moment now, if they have any chance of getting a medal, it’s this year."

This is why Johnson rates the Kazakhstan chances so highly.

He has, since 2011, played for the BC Astana team, a side that has Kazakhstan players Pavel Ilin, Anatoliy Kalesnikov, Rustam Murzagalev, Vitaliy Lapchenko, Anton Ponomarev, Maxim Marchuk and Dmitriy Klimov.

Astana have competed in the EuroChallenge this season, and the VTB United League, giving those Kazakhstan players a lot of exposure to very good basketball.

"Since the [BC Astana] team started four years ago, the Kazakhs are much better," Johnson said.

"They play high level basketball and they see it in the VTB league and they are more mature."

Johnson, just as many other people do, rates European basketball higher than Asian basketball.

"I think European basketball is a lot more skilled and a thinking man's kind of basketball and I think the [European] level is higher and they have been playing at a higher level in the VTB," Johnson said.

That's why the experience of the EuroChallenge, and the VTB League, for Kazakhstan players in the Astana team is so important.

Kazakhstan play a more European style than the Asian teams. - Johnson

"I also think the Kazak team is always dangerous with their size, too.

"The other Asian teams are smaller."

There is the element of confidence, too.

Kazakstan's players finished fourth at the Asia Games in 2014.

They only lost to Iran 80-78 in the Semi-Finals.

Johnson did not play in last week's CABA Championship title romp over Kyrgyzstan, a game Kazakhstan won 84-39 to clinch a spot in the FIBA Asia Championship.

He says his appearance at the FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha-Hunan, China, is likely to hinge on whether or not he re-signs with Astana.

"I think right now it's realistic [to get a medal], and if I could play it would make the chances even greater," he said.

Johnson averaged 17.5 points per game in the EuroChallenge this season, and more than 16 points and 8 assists in the VTB League.

As for Astana, the club has not had as many highs as it might have expected this season, but reaching the VTB United League playoffs has given the team some satisfaction.

It punched its ticket with a win over Zenit St Petersburg, a game in which Johnson, who wears the No. 5 jersey, nailed a pair of go-ahead free-throws in the closing seconds.

Johnson and his teammates posed for a photo after the win at Zenit.

Both relief and joy can be seen on the faces of the players.

There is one other important factor to consider for Kazakhstan.

According to Johnson, the team could not be in better hands.

He rates Vitaly Strebkov, the coach, very highly.

"Strebkov is a great guy and great coach as well," Johnson said.

Strebkov is an assistant to Ramunas Butautas at Astana.

You may recognize the name Strebkov.

His son, Ivan Strebkov, plays for CSKA Moscow, the team that Astana are facing in the opening round of the VTB playoffs.

FIBA