MADRID (EuroBasket 2015) - It required a four-year wait but on 11 August Nikola Mirotic is set to finally pull on the red-yellow jersey again, when he steps out in Spain's first warm-up game against Belgium en route to EuroBasket 2015.

That friendly encounter in Gijon is of course of no particular significance in itself but for Spain, where all star players have traditionally moved on seamlessly from youth onto the senior national team, it marks quite possibly the most eagerly anticipated debut in living memory.

Mirotic last played in a Spanish uniform at the 2011 U20 European Championship and led 'La Roja' to a series of dominant displays and ultimately to the title in that tournament, averaging an outlandish 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Four years and as many editions of the U20 European Championship later, no player has come close to threatening Mirotic's all-time scoring record in the competition.

In the meantime, he honed his scoring skills from anywhere on the floor as he won a succession of titles with Real Madrid and was included in the NBA All-Rookie Team this past season, his first at the Chicago Bulls.

Surely the thought of picking up where he left off and debuting at the EuroBasket in September by setting another scoring record, this time on the biggest stage possible, must have crossed his mind during these four long years, fibaeurope.com put it to him.

Mirotic laughs.

"First of all, let me make one thing clear," he begins and pauses for effect.

"I hope that my U20 record proves really hard to beat and it stays for many more years to come!"

Despite the tongue-in-cheek tone and wide smile, Mirotic means what he says.

He is rightfully proud of his achievement.

But that is all. Quite simply, the all-time top scorer of the U20 European Championship does not care to make use of his bragging rights.

He certainly does not feel entitled to any kind of special treatment on his debut with the senior national team.

My obligation is to adapt to the role the coach [Sergio Scariolo] assigns me so that the team. - Mirotic

"It was a great experience in that championship, it was so gratifying to win gold in Bilbao," Mirotic said.

"It's true that I scored a lot in that tournament, but what gave those points any value is the fact the team won."

"But I am not a player who only scores and my role here [at EuroBasket 2015 with Spain] is not to try to replicate that level of scoring.

"It has always been a goal of mine to play with the senior national team and it has been a long process but maybe in the end it arrived at the right moment, both for me and for the federation.

"I am looking forward to take on this new challenge in my sporting career and of course it's great for me that I will spend time again with some former team-mates.

"It is a big opportunity for me and I want to make the best of it, helping in any way the team asks me to.

"A lot of people do not know that I had played with the U20 national team two years in a row, but for me it feels a bit like being back with the family."

Does Mirotic expect to assume a leading role on this Spanish team which has been hit by important absences, in a bid to justify his inclusion in the EuroBasket 2015 team?

"Not at all, I am just one more player in this team," Mirotic replied.

"Here we have players who have achieved big feats, who have turned this national team into a big name.

"I am only new on the team, what I want is to show that I belong here.

"This team already has leaders and captains.

"I will not deny that this EuroBasket is special to me, because it is my first time with the senior national team and of course I want to do well.

"But I have nothing to prove to anybody.

"I think people have seen me play at Real Madrid, have watched me at Chicago Bulls and they know what kind of player I am and know why I was called up to the national team.

"I've always said I feel Spanish, I lived here [in Spain] for eight years, I achieved some big things at Real Madrid.

"For me it's an honour to wear this jersey, I know it's not easy at all to be part of this great team."

Mirotic admits that the goal of this great Spanish team at EuroBasket 2015 can be none other than what its superstar Pau Gasol, or one of its longest-serving stars, Rudy Fernandez have stated: to win gold or, at the very least, reach the Final so that they secure a direct berth to the Rio Games.

But the 24-year-old forward is almost reluctant to utter it out loud, as if he was afraid to jinx it.

"I think it's better for us that we are in a tough group at the EuroBasket [Group B in Berlin], but of course we have to start strong from the first moment," he said.

"We have to do everything well and be focused right from the opening game against Serbia because they are coming off a great tournament in the FIBA Basketball World Cup last year.

"But yes, I do think it is better to set the bar high from day one.

"From then on, we have to remain focused, calm and take it step by step.

"We all know what our goal is.

"I believe we have the group of players that can achieve this objective, as long as we prepare hard and maintain our focus on the end line."

And the end line for him and the national team? Is this the summer he proves he will be Spain's power forward for the next decade?

"I hope so, I hope this will prove to be the case," he asserted.

"But I don't like to make long-term plans.

"I always prefer to look at what is right in front of me, and right now what matters is to do it the best I can in my first year on the team."

Go to eurobasket2015.org for complete coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA