PRAGUE (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - The Czech Republic will need some players to step up in a big way following the announcement that big man Jan Vesely will not play at FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

The Fenerbahce power forward averaged 19.3 points and 9.1 rebounds for the Czechs two years ago when they finished seventh.

He says after a "long, demanding and successful" campaign with Fener in Europe and on the domestic front that he needs a break.

The basketball star helped his club capture the EuroLeague and Turkish league trophies. After the season, he had other things that kept him busy. 

"I am physically and mentally depleted," Vesely said, referring to the hard season with Fener, on the Czech Basketball Federation website.

"At the end of July I got married, which was very important to me and I feel I can't adequately prepare for a challenging tournament like EuroBasket in two weeks.

"It's not easy for me not to be part of the teams I've been with the last two years, but unfortunately my absence is the best solution." 

Czech coach Neno Ginzburg has been caught off guard by Vesely's withdrawal. He will now be missing one of his two most important players when the team faces Spain, Croatia, Montenegro, Hungary and hosts Romania in Cluj-Napoca in the Group Phase of the FIBA EuroBasket.

"It is an unpleasant surprise for us," he said. "We were hoping that Jan would be with us at the EuroBasket. He finally decided this way." 

Ondrej Balvin has a big opportunity with the Czechs after Vesely's withdrawal

Ginzburg hopes that Ondrej Balvin, a big center he did not select to play at FIBA EuroBasket 2015, will be available.

Balvin started this past season with Bayern Munich but joined Estudiantes on loan in late January.

On the other hand, we have characters such as Tomas Satoransky, Jiri Welsch and Vojta Hruban. That's good. It's not an easy situation, but we'll do our best to make the most of it.Ginzburg

"Ondrej really wants to come and play," Ginzburg said. "He was injured but he has worked hard for the last two months in Spain and America."

Ginzburg had a pessimistic tone regarding the status of Blake Schilb. A naturalized player, Schilb averaged 10 points per game at FIBA EuroBasket 2015 and also featured at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.

"Blake has decided not to join the preparation," Ginzburg said. "We have a message from him that if he signs a contract for next season, he will come. But you never know if and when it will happen. I'm very disappointed." 

However, Ginzburg does believe the Czechs will be strong in one area of the team.

"We have no problem on the perimeter," he said. "We have players with experience at this level but they now have to take the lead role. If it were not for Ondrej Balvin, we would have even bigger problems at pivot.

"On the other hand, we have characters such as Tomas Satoransky, Jiri Welsch and Vojta Hruban. That's good. It's not an easy situation, but we'll do our best to make the most of it."

FIBA