UKR - National team players warming up for Spain 2014

KIEV (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Ukraine's sixth-place finish at last year's EuroBasket 2013 and qualification for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was a big surprise for a couple reasons.

The country didn't have a tradition of success in the tournament, and the players were not household names across Europe.

Center Viacheslav Kravtsov and naturalized guard Eugene 'Pooh' Jeter have NBA connections, with the former now a reserve in Phoenix and the latter an ex-guard in Sacramento.

Sergii Gladyr was drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft but has spent his entire career in Europe.

For the most part, however, Ukraine's players were not well known.

Every one of them showed plenty of resolve and gave tremendous efforts at the EuroBasket.

Will there be a place in the country's World Cup squad for 20-year-old Phoenix Suns center Alex Len, who had nine points and six rebounds in Sunday's win over the Denver Nuggets?

Might Kyrylo Fesenko, another player with NBA experience in Utah, have a chance to make the roster?

The 2.16m center started this season in Europe but has returned to the United States and is now playing in the NBDL with the Delaware 87ers.

Here's a look at how those in Ukraine's EuroBasket squad are performing.

Sergii Gladyr
Since recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for several weeks, Gladyr has been very effective for French outfit Nanterre in the Eurocup. In his two appearances, wins against FoxTown Cantu and Pinar Karsiyaka, the 25-year-old has hit a combined 10 of 18 shots from long range and averaged 22.5 points. Nanterre are hoping Gladyr will begin to make some shots in France, too. In his last couple of games in the LNB, losses to Gravelines and Le Mans, Gladyr is 0-11 from behind the arc and is averaging 6.5ppg.

Maksym Pustozvonov
The 26-year-old forward is playing big minutes for Azovmash in the VTB United League, shooting 52% from long range and averaging 8.8ppg.

Eugene 'Pooh' Jeter
The explosive 1.80m point guard is doing a little bit of everything to help Shandong Lions in the Chinese CBA. He is pouring in 26.9ppg while shooting a scintillating 44.5% (97 of 218) from the three-point line. Jeter is also coming up with 2.1 steals per game.

Dmytro Gliebov
The 25-year-old power forward is getting just under 10mpg in the VTB United League for Donetsk, averaging 3.5ppg and 1.5rbg.

Olexandr Mishula
The 23-year-old back-up playmaker is getting a lot of court time with Dnipro in Ukraine's Super League but is having his struggles on offense, making just 33.8% of his attempts inside the arc and 24.2% beyond it. He is averaging 9.1ppg, 5.3asp and 1.4spg.

Oleksandr Lypovyy
The 2.01m shooting guard thrived under coach Mike Fratello at the EuroBasket, contributing on both ends of the floor. While he averaged more than 21 minutes per game for Ukraine, he is averaging only 11:07 in the VTB United League with Donetsk. On the offensive end, the 22-year-old has buried 44.4% (10 of 19) from the arc while on defense, he has come up with 0.5spg in 10 appearances.

Kyryl Natyazhko
The 23-year-old center was extremely valuable for Ukraine at the EuroBasket, not only for his toughness but his sweet shooting stroke. Natyazhko has been very productive in his 16:40ppg in the VTB United League, averaging 7.8ppg and 5rbg.

Maxym Korniyenko
The 2.04m power forward had 21 points and eight rebounds in one of Ukraine's most important wins, an upset of Serbia at the EuroBasket that helped them reach the Quarter-Finals. With Donetsk in the VTB United League, he is getting almost 14mpg and averaging 5.3ppg and 2.9rbg.

Dmytro Zabirchenko
The 29-year-old guard has the trust of his Azovmash coach and averages 4.5ppg and 2.3apg and 0.8spg in 26:46mpg in the VTB United League.

Ihor Zaytsev
The 24-year-old had a strong EuroBasket and is sure to be a big contributor later this year at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The 2.10m center is averaging 7.8ppg, 4.3rbg in 17:01mpg for Azovmash in the VTB United League.

Artem Pustovyi
The athletic, 2.18m center is only 21. With Khimik in Ukraine's top flight, he is playing an average of 13mpg and contributing 6.9ppg ad 3.7rpg.

Viacheslav Kravtsov
A valuable player for Ukraine, Kravtsov has been seeing very little action with the Phoenix Suns. The 2.12m center has made 16 appearances and averaged just over 3mpg.

FIBA