BAURU - Michael Uchendu is still just 19 years old but the Brazilian big man showed flashes in the Sao Paulo state Paulista league of what he can do. And the Bauru prospect has definitely taken a step towards his next major goal - the Brazilian senior national team.

Uchendu averaged 10.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 11 Paulista games for Bauru in August and September. Most of the 6ft 9in (2.06m) talent's production came in August when many of the NBB domestic league champions' top players were not playing. Uchendu collected 14.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in a six-game stretch from August 8 to September 3.

Three of those games came against NBB teams and the highlight was Uchendu's 14-point, 15-rebound and eight-block showing against America. But as Bauru's main players returned to the team, Uchendu's playing time was drastically cut, including not appearing in the two Paulista Quarter-Finals playoff games against Pinheiros earlier this month. He did play in the Semi-Finals against Franca, averaging 5.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.75 blocks in 15.5 minutes in four games, including 10 points and seven rebounds in the one game he started. 

The start of the 2017-18 NBB national domestic season is right around the corner on November 6. And this will be the Sao Paulo native's second season in the NBB, where he averaged 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds last season. Uchendu hopes playing time will get him closer to his debut with the Brazilian senior national team. Uchendu could in theory be an option for Brazil at the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers - as a youngster to bring in and gain experience at the level. 

"The senior national team is my next goal. It's a dream to play for the national team with the guys from the NBA and the guys from Europe," Uchendu told fiba.basketball. "I will be there in a few years. I just have to work hard in camps and with my club and that dream will come true."

Those comments came at the recent Nations Global camp in Houston, where Uchendu participated.

ADIDAS NATIONS GLOBAL 2017:

A dupla Yago Mateus e Michael Uchendu, vem dando muito certo. 😍😍🚀 #AdidasNations pic.twitter.com/fSz3oJ4g8S

— HS Basketball BR (@HSBasketballBR) August 6, 2017

"It was a great experience for me. It was the first time being in the United States and playing against the best players in the US and some from Australia. And now I go back to Brazil with big confidence and I try to get better for next year."

Uchendu, who didn't start basketball until he was 12 years old, went from Houston and directly produced in the Paulista state league. The Nations Global was not the first time Uchendu has been exposed to international competition. He helped Brazil finish second at the South American U17 Championship 2015 and then take third place at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2016.

"It was a great tournament for me," said Uchendu, who averaged 9.4 points, a team-high 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks at the U18 continental tournament. "We lost to Argentina at (U17) South America but we beat them at the FIBA 18 Americas, so it was payback in a big rivalry."

Uchendu collected 11 points and 20 rebounds in the 2016 Group Phase win against Argentina, who had beaten the Brazilians 73-49 in the U17 South American Final in 2015.

"Plus playing against the United States and Canada was a good experience for me," Uchendu added.

Brazil's third-place finish also qualified them for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017. But Uchendu and his teammates could not play at Cairo 2017 due to a FIBA suspension. Still, Uchendu is at peace with the situation.

"I don't want to blame anybody, but we were very, very sad because we knew we did a great job and earned that spot. I don't want to blame anybody, you just keep playing hard for the next opportunity," Uchendu said.

Buoyed by some good experience in Brazil's home league, Uchendu hopes that next opportunity will come soon with the senior national team.

FIBA