IRI - The Rising Power of Asia (Part II)

TEHRAN (National team) - If anyone thinks Iran have peaked in basketball after winning the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, they've got another thing coming.

In Part II of The Rising Power of Asia, Riath Al-Samarrai considers what the future holds.

A country's basketball success is measured in different ways.

National team performances catch the eye, but so do the individual accomplishments of the players and coaches.

Basketball Federation Islamic Republic of Iran president Mahmoud Mashhoon has his sights set on qualification for the FIBA World Championship 2010 in Turkey, and victory in next year's FIBA Asia U18 Championship.

If Iran meet those aims, eyebrows will be raised.

As for the individuals who are going for personal glory, keep an eye on Hamed Ehadadi, the 32-point hero of the FIBA Asia final.

He's already been linked with Adriatic League leaders and Euroleague side Partizan Belgrade, and Ehadadi is even planning to go to North America after the Olympic Games to strut his stuff for NBA teams.

Likewise, 21-year-old Jaber Rouzbahani, complete with his eight-foot wingspan, has already had try-outs with NBA sides and is still hopeful of a draft to the big time.

If either player succeeds, it will provide further evidence of Iran's extraordinary growth as a basketball power as no Iranian has ever made it to the world's richest league.

Also, there are no Iranians in leading European leagues.

If that situation changes, coach Rajko Toroman thinks the long-term result for the country could be even better than that achieved by the individual in the short-term.

Using Ehadadi as an example, Toroman explained: "Playing with Partizan could be a very good opportunity for him to change his practising mentality and make him ready for more than 70 tough European games and subsequently for Olympic games.

"He also could help other players like Samad and Idin Nik-khah Bahrami, Mehdi Kamrani, Hamed Afagh, Oshin Sahakian and others to play in European clubs, which would be interested in Iranian players.

"Besides our surprising qualification to Olympic Games, having Iranian players in the NBA will have a very positive impact on Iranian basketball for sure and you will see NBA and European scouts chasing Iranian basketball and players more seriously afterwards."

Ehadadi's intentions to head to the states have, however, been greeted with less enthusiasm from his coach.

Toroman said: "To me, it's like going immediately from primary school to university. You must go step by step, from the Iranian league to a European league and then to the NBA, otherwise he will lose time and may just practice with NBA stars to get in better shape, but not to be a part of their game which is not good for him or any Iranian players as well."

The fact an Iranian is even being linked with the NBA is a testament to the efforts of dozens of provincial directors, league organisers, referees and coaches around the country who Mashhoon credits with creating the turnaround. The team has soared from 47th to a world ranking of 33.

Mashhoon, Toroman and the multitude of people people behind the scenes have no intention of resting on their laurels, though.

"We can't lose in the Olympic Games. We can only win but in different ways.

"We can win if we play well; if we only win one game; if we lose but show the character and that we are warriors and determined to do a good job."

The determination has carried them a long way so far and could yet take them - and their star players - a whole lot further.

FIBA