BAURU (FIBA Basketball World Cup/FIBA Americas Championship) - Alex Garcia has done a lot in his basketball career, yet he still has a lot more to do.

The muscular Brazil forward, now 34, has won a FIBA Americas Championship (2009), competed in the last four FIBA Basketball World Cups, made an appearance at the London 2012 Olympics and also achieved great things at club level, most recently in the 2014 Liga Sudamericana when he was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after leading Bauri to the title.

Alex has even played in a Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and sampled, albeit briefly, the NBA.

So what more can the Orlandia-born veteran hope to do? Plenty. 

When asked if he wants to play at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, his reply is clear.

"Of course," he said. "I'm trying and trying hard to keep playing at a high level. 

I have this thought, that it (Rio 2016) will be my farewell in the national team. - Alex

"I'm working hard and doing my best to be called and to defend Brazil. 

"We want a medal."

To play in London was special.

Alex got to have the Olympic experience for the first time.

He took part in the Opening Ceremony, lived in the Olympic Village and competed in some exciting basketball games.

But to play in front of the home fans at an Olympics, and to make it your swan song? That would be the dream scenario for any sportsman.

The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup had the potential to be a highlight for Alex and Brazil.

They entered the 24-team tournament with a realistic chance of getting to the podium.

He played his usual tough defense in Granada and had a typical Alex moment in a win over Iran.

All went according to plan until the second half of their Quarter-Final against Serbia.

That's when everything unravelled.

Having won the first game against Serbia, an 81-73 triumph in Group A, Brazil crashed to an 84-56 defeat the second time.

Ruben Magnano's side was outscored 29-12 in a decisive third quarter and left Spain well short of their goal of getting a medal.

"Other than the game against Serbia in the Quarter-Finals, we were fine in all the other games," Alex said.

"I think that we had too much confidence that we could reach the Semi-Final."

Brazil will not want to repeat their FIBA Americas Championship performance of 2013, when they lost all four of their games and needed a wild card to take part at Spain 2014.

The Brazil side of 2013 was missing important players, but no one could have predicted the collapse they endured.

Next year in Mexico, where the FIBA Americas Championship is to be played, Brazil’s players will want to get a good taste back in their mouths.

There would be no better way to prepare for an Olympic year than to win a title.

FIBA