Sergio Rodriguez and Spain are taking aim at gold medal glory at the FIBA World Championship this year in Japan but they are also looking ahead to 2007 when they host the EuroBasket.

The Spaniards were silver medalists when the tournament was staged in Sweden in 2003 and semi-finalists last year in Belgrade, and Rodriguez, one of his country's emerging stars who turned 20 less than a month ago, is expected to be a big factor in their bid for glory.

"The fact we are hosting the tournament will give us an added advantage as we will have a lot of support and it will be something important for basketball fans in Spain who will be able to watch a very important tournament," the 1.92m point guard said.

Rodriguez, who has spent the past two seasons with Estudiantes, has had a high profile in his hoops-mad nation ever since he was voted top player of the European Championship for U18 Men in Zaragoza in 2004, when he led the Spaniards to gold.

Now there is even more interest following his recent selection in the first round of  the NBA draft.

Rodriguez has decided not to delay his move to the United States and will begin playing for the Portland Trail Blazers next season.

"I am well aware that I will have to work very hard and improve a lot on my physique," he said. "I think I will have opportunities to play and that is very important in the first year.I will have to make the most of those chances."

Pau Gasol was advised by the Memphis Grizzlies not to play at last year's EuroBasket so the big Spaniard could recover from a foot injury, but he was desperately disappointed to miss out.

Another Spaniard who just finished his first year in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors, Jose Manuel Calderon, made it very clear before leaving for North America that he would always want to represent Spain.

"I don't think there will be a problem in me playing in EuroBasket 2007, I always want to play in a tournament for my nation, and especially if we are hosting it," Rodriguez said on www.feb.es.