MEXICO CITY (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The picture is becoming rosier for Mexico, who are preparing to play at a FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in 40 years.

If there was some doom and gloom when Atlanta Hawks center Gustavo Ayon got hurt back in February and had to have an operation, there now appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

His recovery is going well.

The MVP of last year’s FIBA Americas Championship is without question the most important player for Mexico.

"He is training on the court, each time a little more," national team coach Sergio Valdeomillos said.

"He needs to recuperate the mobility of his arm because now he’s at 90%. He is working, but he will be adapting to the team more and more."

What has been most encouraging of all has been the single-minded, determined approach of Mexico’s players in their training sessions.

"I am happy because we are doing well," the coach said.

"Right now, we are in the process of working on game concepts, like movement on the court and the occupation of spaces, like playing without the ball.

"We are moving on a good line and giving everything with a lot of enthusiasm. I see a very good attitude from the players, a lot of competitiveness."

Mexico are getting ready for the Centrobasket (1-7 August), which is to be staged on home soil in Nayarit, and the World Cup (30 August to 14 September).

"It’s not going to be easy to know who is able to be in the tournaments and who won’t be because there is a good level of play and parity," Valdeomillos said.

To have numerous players fighting for places in the team can only be viewed as a positive.

"At this moment," the coach said, "I don’t know who is going to be there. It’s complicated."

Valdeomillos has stressed that most important of all has been the mindset of the players and their hunger to achieve something great for the country.

Mexico, who will play in Gran Canaria against Group D opponents Australia, Angola, Korea, Lithuania and Slovenia, want to build on last summer’s unexpected success in Venezuela.

"We will not be the best national team," Valdeomillos said, "but the daily work of the players gives me a lot of comfort.

"There are going to be better teams, but we are giving everything."

FIBA