 Few players arrive to the Euroleague for the first time at mid-season and make their presence felt the way Ante Tomic of Real Madrid did earlier this year. The 2.17-meter center signed in January, debuted in February - shortly before his 23rd birthday - and by spring was the sixth-best scorer in the Euroleague Playoffs despite facing eventual champion Regal FC Barcelona in that round. This week, Tomic is bringing his considerable talents to the Croatian national team as it tries to improve at the World Championships on its sixth-place finishes in the last Olympics and European Championships. Anything better would mean playing for a medal, something that Tomic is not shy to claim as a worthy goal. "Other than the Americans, I don’t see too many teams that are much better than us," Tomic told Euroleague.net from Turkey. "It will be interesting to see what we can do."
Hello Ante. How excited are you to take part in the World Championships and what does it mean to your career?
"I am very excited, especially considering this is the first big competition I will be playing for the national team. That is the most important for me, that I am a part of the national team, and that I am representing my country."
Things are happening fast for you. In just a few months, you joined Real Madrid and are now ready to play in a World Championships. Have you had time to consider how much your career changed since January?
"I did not have time to think about it, and maybe it is better that way. Everything happens so fast, it happens all at once. It was the same way when I left KK Zagreb for Real Madrid, it still seems like it all happened in two days. This whole year is like that, no time to think or ponder, you just roll with it. And it is good that it is all going well."
Just a few months ago, you went from a small club, KK Zagreb, to one of the world's giant names in sport, Real Madrid. How difficult was that jump for you and how did you manage to play so well right away against the best centers in Europe?
"Well, the competition in the Adriatic League is not bad at all. But the club itself, the coach, the ACB and the Euroleague, it all makes you do it better and do it more. I felt that it all came natural. It turned out that I played my best games in both competitions against the best teams, but what I lacked was consistency. I had some ups and downs in Madrid, while for the last year and a half when I played in Zagreb I had consistency. So, my next goal is to reach the same level of consistency with Real Madrid, too."
How much did your sudden Euroleague experience prepare you for the kind of competition you will see in Turkey?
"In the Euroleague I did play against the best players in Europe, so I got used to this kind of level. I think it would have been a little bit tougher for me to compete at the World Championships if I have stayed in KK Zagreb."
 How did playing under Ettore Messina help you so far?
"It helped a lot. He is an excellent and a very demanding coach. The very first time we spoke to each other he immediately told me that my playing time would depend on how much I deserve it during practices, with my attitude and everything else a coach looks at. With Coach Messina you have to be hundred percent focused just to be in his considerations to play. On the court, he is a great professional, but off the court he is a lot less demanding."
Of course, you must keep an eye on what is going on in the Spanish capital. What do you think Sergio Rodriguez, Clay Tucker and D'or Fischer can bring to Real Madrid?
"From my experience playing against Fischer, we got a very good rebounder and a shot blocker. Tucker is a great shooting guard, while in Rodriguez there is great potential because he is coming back to Europe after he left early for the NBA. I do expect, however, that it will take us a little bit more time to adjust to new players and get the level of our game to where we want it to be."
Even without those three, there are six Madrid players at the 2010 World Championships. Is that proof that Madrid has what it takes to be a Euroleague contender next season?
"Yes, no Spanish team has so many players in Turkey. I really hope that makes us a contender. Last year we had a nice chance to make it to the Final Four, and maybe we would have had a better shot if we played against Partizan instead of Barcelona. But we lost the chance to be first in our group when we lost at home to Maccabi Electra in the last game of Top 16. Hopefully, next season we will have a little more luck than last year, and reach the Final Four. Then, everything is possible."
 Croatia reached the EuroBasket quarterfinals and has a very competitive roster. What do you expect from your team and from yourself at the big event in Turkey?
"I expect from myself to keep getting in better form as the tournament progresses. During the preparation games this summer, I showed very little of what I believe I can do, both offensively and defensively. I expect to raise my game and help the team as much as possible. We came here after finishing in sixth place at the last Olympic Games and in the last Eurobasket in Poland. Other than the Americans, I don’t see too many teams that are much better than us. We should aim for the second or third place in Group A, and see where that will take us. After the group stage, you are two games away from the medal round. It will be interesting to see what we can do. We just have to keep our consistency and try to avoid major drops in the level of our game."
How do you feel to be opening the tournament against a favorite like the United States?
"Team USA are my personal favorites, and alongside them Spain and Greece. Against them, we've simply got to play the best we can. I feel it is better to play immediately against them. We should be relaxed coming into that game. I am sure all the teams think the same way about the game against them – play the best you can and with no pressure. After that, we play other games that will determine our position in the standings."
What would make this a successful tournament for you and your team?
"I would be pleased with making it to the quarterfinals. That would give us a chance to play a maximum number of nine games at this World Championships. If you can make it to the quarterfinals you either fight for the medals, or fight for fifth place. And I think results should matter more to us than the impressions and the level of play we show. In the end, no one remembers how you play, but people always remember the results you accomplish."
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