CHICAGO (USA) - The face of Czech basketball and national team star Tomas Satoransky has something very important on his bucket list.

The 28-year-old from Prague has already played at three FIBA EuroBasket tournaments, the most recent FIBA Basketball World Cup, competed at the highest level of pro basketball in Spain and Europe with Barcelona and now, he's an established guard in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls.

There is one thing that's missing.

"To play at the Olympics has been a goal as much as anything," he said. "Just watching them growing up - to be a part of that would be amazing."

Satoransky played at his first FIBA Basketball World Cup last year in China

He says to compete at an Olympics would be the ultimate national team experience.

"It's the biggest goal in my career and I think everyone would agree with that, speaking of my teammates, and we'll do anything possible to accomplish that," he said.

The Czechs will have to win arguably the most competitive of the four FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments this summer in Victoria, Canada. If Satoransky is to realize the dream and make it to Tokyo, the 2.01m (6ft 7in) will have to lead his team past the likes of Canada, Greece, Turkey, as well as China and Uruguay.

At 28, he would also have a chance of making it to the Paris Games in four years and maybe even the Olympics four years after that. Yet, the best chances may be now.

The Czechs are winning games and doing so with a style that places a lot of emphasis on putting the team first – making the extra pass, making hard cuts to the basket and on playing team defense. 

"IT'S A VERY TOUGH GOAL TO MAKE IT TO THE OLYMPICS … BUT IF WE HAVE PROVED ANYTHING, IT'S THAT WE'LL ALWAYS FIGHT UNTIL THE END."- Satoransky

At FIBA EuroBasket 2015, the Czechs reached the Quarter-Finals in France but really shifted into a high gear at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers, becoming one of the first teams to clinch a spot in the tournament. After what was viewed as a tough draw, the Czechs played very well in China.

They fell to the United States in their opener but then knocked off Japan, Turkey and Brazil to reach the Quarter-Finals despite a narrow defeat to Greece. They ultimately sixth on the global stage to well and truly put Czech basketball on the map.

"Every time I speak with my teammates from there, or with people from the Czech Republic, obviously it brings back great memories," Satoransky said. "There was a mania in our country, a mania for basketball. It's never been seen there. It was a great accomplishment for our country.

"Now we're playing in the qualification for the Olympics and we'll be a host for EuroBasket 2021 so basketball is definitely getting more popular in our country."

And that popularity would grow if the Czechs do manage to qualify for Tokyo 2020.

"It's a very tough goal to make it to the Olympics," Satoransky said. "Just one team advances. I think Canada will have all of their players from the NBA and they will definitely go there with all of their strength. Turkey is a tough team and I've never played against Uruguay. I think it's going to be as difficult as the World Cup. But if we have proved anything, it's that we'll always fight until the end."

"IT'LL BE DIFFICULT TO TOP (THE WORLD CUP). NO ONE EXPECTED THIS. THERE'll BE MORE PRESSURE NOW, MORE VIEWERS AND MORE PEOPLE NOW KNOW MORE ABOUT BASKETBALL THAN BEFORE. BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT."- Satoransky

Turkey will not take the Czechs lightly because it was their 91-76 defeat to Satoransky and Co that prevented them from advancing to the Second Round.

Czech Republic will be familiar not only with their opponents, but the format of competition as well.

"We already played one qualification for the Olympics (2016 OQT in Belgrade) and some guys, like myself and Jan Vesely, played until the end of June and then we had limited time to prepare with the team," Satoransky said.

"I think it depends on form, and on what kind of shape you come in and how well you play together at that particular moment. But I think it helps us that we have played together for so many years. Hopefully we can just build while going into another group and then surprise someone."

What was clear about the Czech performance in China was that the players relished the opportunity to be there.

The Czechs were on the big stage in China, facing teams like the United States

"Definitely the hunger," Satoransky said, explaining why the team had been successful. "There were a lot of players that had never been on that stage before and wanted to prove themselves, and then playing as a team, every single game. During those games, that's what matters most.

"I also think we had good pieces that fit great together and I felt like every game was our last game and we fought on defense and we shared the ball on offense. So we overcame some talent on tough teams."

Although Satoransky was not part of the squad that played in the February window of the FIBA EuroBasket 2021 Qualifiers, when the Czechs won at home against Denmark and lost at Lithuania, he had a lot to like. Especially, the potential shown by Vit Krejci, the 19-year-old on the books of Casademont Zaragoza.

"We've got Krejci progressing every year and last year was the first time that I met him in the team, playing against him," he said. "I really like his mindset, his working attitude and I think he might have a great future. It's obviously what we need in Czech basketball, another generation that comes and puts pressure on us. We have some other names coming up but Vit Krejci is definitely the biggest."

More than anything, Satoransky and the Czechs want to keep the momentum that has been steadily building for basketball in the country.

"It will be difficult to top this accomplishment (at the World Cup)," Satoransky said. "No one expected this. There will be more pressure now and more viewers and more people now know more about basketball than before. But that's what you want, more popularity and more people watching. Definitely the biggest stage will be the EuroBasket at home."

FIBA