El Khatib gives a thumbs-up to Cedars, Matic

BEIRUT (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - Lebanon's most famous basketball player, Fadi El Khatib, is in a very good mood these days.

He should be, too, after serving notice at the 2015 WABA Championship that he remains one of Asian basketball's top players.

El Khatib, who announced his arrival on the international basketball scene at the 2001 FIBA Asia Championship, helping his country beat Korea in the Semi-Finals in Shanghai to clinch a spot on the podium for the first time, made his first appearance on the world stage the following year with Lebanon at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Indianapolis.

Lebanon didn't hit the heights as a team, coming in 16th place, but El Khatib reconfirmed his status as a rising star on his continent, averaging 17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

In 2006, on the opening day at the World Cup in Japan, El Khatib led his team to victory over Venezuela, scoring 35 points.

He also had 29 points in an upset of France.

Yes, the 36-year-old forward is famous for a reason.

At WABA, which was just played in Amman, El Khatib had one big performance after another in leading Lebanon to victories over Jordan, Palestine, Iraq and Syria, victories that punched the Cedars' ticket to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha-Hunan (23 September to 3 October).

"We came to Jordan to play in a tough tournament after not preparing well because the local league ended only a short while ago, but even if the conditions were difficult, we delivered because we played with one heart for Lebanon and this is the most important thing," El Khatib said in the Lebanese media.

El Khatib knows that continued success is not guaranteed, but is possible.

He felt that former Iran coach Veselin Matic had done well in his first tournament in charge of Lebanon.

"To win four games out of four after limited preparation - just two days - this is a success," El Khatib said.

"I think the result speaks for itself ...

What I saw was promising - El Khatib

Matic had heaped praise on El Khatib during the competition, and the coach deserved credit, too.

"In just a short while, the coach has done a great job," El Khatib said.

Matic, who had to go up against El Khatib in his previous job as Iran coach, has not backed off from his belief that the veteran is going to be crucial for Lebanon at the FIBA Asia Championship.

In Lebanon's Daily Star, he said: "He is a phenomenon.

"I remember playing against him. He was always a force to be reckoned with, and seeing him at this level doesn’t surprise me but definitely impresses me."

The FIBA Asia Championship is going to be a much harder tournament for Lebanon than WABA.

"There is no doubt that the journey towards the Asia Championship requires a lot of work at all levels, including from the players," El Khatib said.

The journey has already had a positive start, and it will be interesting to see how far Lebanon can go.

FIBA