Slovenia captain Rasho Nesterovic has reconfirmed that this summer will be his last with the national team.

One of the standout performers at last year's EuroBasket in Madrid, Nesterovic has also just enjoyed an excellent season with the Toronto Raptors.

He says there is no chance he will reconsider and play at the EuroBasket in Poland next year.

"No, I have already decided," Nesterovic said.

"After the Olympic games, I will end my national team career. It's time for younger, even better players to take my place."

Nesterovic is desperate to go out on a winning note and has already met with coach Ales Pipan to discuss the summer program with the Slovenians.

They will be in Group C of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament which tips off in July with Korea and Canada.

Squad selection, which is expected to be announced on Thursday, has been the source of great debate in Slovenia with several of the country's most prominent players staying away in the last season for various reasons.

"In any case, whatever happens, we will try to find a team of the 12 best players that we have who are ready to do everything for Slovenia to reach the Olympic Games."

Nesterovic says no one should rush to judgment on NBA players who miss summers with the national team because of uncertainty over their contracts.

"The same happened to me in 2003," Nesterovic said.

"I didn't play for the national team for the same reasons - I was waiting for a new contract."

So how will this play out for Slovenia?

Some players like Matjaz Smodis, the CSKA Moscow warrior who played at the EuroBasket in Spain last year, said there was a great atmosphere in the Slovenia team last year.

Will the NBA players who missed EuroBasket 2007 like Beno Udrih and Bostjan Nachbar play in Athens at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament?

"I really don't know how this story will end," Nesterovic said. "In any case, I will be happy if we have the 12 best players in the national team with all of them ready to sacrifice everything - themselves and their free-time - to get to Beijing."

Nesterovic also has a theory about how Slovenia should go into the tournament.

"We must win the first two games," he said to zurnal24.si, "not only to make our task easier, but also to get into a winning rhythm, to build confidence.

"The quarter-finals will be the real thing. We can't allow ourselves to make mistakes there. It doesn't really matter who we play there."