When FIBA reimagined its global men's championship several years ago and rebranded it as its World Cup, the intention was to match the lure of the Olympic Games and even, perhaps ambitiously, to funnel a slice of the profits into the bank accounts of the NBA as an olive branch to those owners who would rather their highly-paid stars took the summer off rather than risk injury in the cause of patriotic duty.
The concept envisaged the biggest names and the greatest games, emulating its soccer counterpart by captivating the entire planet and preaching the gospel of hoops to more of the unconverted.
Call that, still, a work in progress as the 2019 edition -- enlarged to 32 teams -- approaches its tipoff this weekend in China.
Yet, as he approaches his first year at the helm, FIBA secretary-general Andreas Zagklis views the organization's marquee event as a success before it has even begun, as well as a vehicle to grow the international game and even, in tandem, the reach of the NBA.
The headlines in the build-up, of course, have been dominated by who will not be in action, rather than who will.
High-profile absentees by the dozen, not just for the United States but for its would-be rivals as well. To place in historical context, the world championships has rarely attracted Uncle Sam's finest. This time though, the cast list seems even less stellar than normal.
A blow to the brand's luster and ambition surely?
"I would beg to differ," Zagklis assures ESPN.com. "I don't see any B teams going to the World Cup. I see really top talent coming. This is what we wanted."
Brave talk. The Greece-born lawyer can, of course, point to the presence of the NBA's reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the colors of his own country's team, in addition to other All Star talents such as Spain's Marc Gasol and Serbia's Nikola Jokic.
Even in the absence of the LeBrons and Stephs from the American roster, the United States remain favorites and the event will roll on regardless. FIBA, at the very least, seem satisfied with the spin-offs from a pathway to China that, for the first time, staged its own dedicated qualification process.
Home games on home soil rather than continental tournaments abroad. Visibility for national team basketball, a key plank in the growth strategy espoused by Zagklis' predecessor Patrick Baumann before the tragedy of his sudden death of a heart attack last October, aged 51.
Pros and cons. The downside being that -- unlike in soccer -- major leagues, foremost the NBA and EuroLeague, do not pause so that their leading talents can depart to represent their country during the scheduled international windows. USA Basketball dispatched G-Leaguers instead, coached by Jeff van Gundy. Other countries coped without their biggest names. Sub-optimal for both players and fans.
However, Zagklis counters: "we have, with the national teams, a possibility to attract audience, which is not the typical club audience." And it has, he insists, still generated momentum going into the first World Cup on his watch.
In China, a market where basketball has still potential unfulfilled despite immense growth, a recent encounter with the government's Minister of Sport provided reassurance that a tournament which will last 16 days and be spread across eight host cities will deliver rewards.
"In the first minute of our meeting he said, 'You know, your sport is the most popular in my country.' That was very reassuring, of course.
"So we have high expectations of this World Cup and first of all, we need to make sure that the players have a very good experience. And we will do that by putting extra focus this time. We have made additional investments for the players to have as good as possible an experience."
The NBA continue to lend support. Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is an influential member of FIBA's board, recognition that while one organization runs world basketball, the other -- based in New York -- rules the world of basketball.
There are areas, commercially above all, in which the two pillars compete for the same pot. Plenty more where there is mutual interest. In Adam Silver, Zagklis shares the common ground of two men who are corporate legal eagles-turned-executives.
"We don't talk lawyer to lawyer," the 39-year-old Greek smiles. "We talk as a basketball person to basketball person. It has been proven that the NBA really values the collaboration, both for what it means to the NBA and for what it means for the players to play for their country."
That rapport should ease their most formal alliance yet, one that builds on joint initiatives such as the regular Basketball Without Borders camps for talented youth and the NBA's expanding network of academies overseas.
The Basketball Africa League is due to launch next January as a 12-team competition into which both entities have invested significant energies.
"I think it's a unique opportunity," Zagklis underlines. "I must say that, and we're very excited to start this new endeavor. Already, the first steps of preparation have taken place and in a good rhythm. Both our regional office in Africa and the NBA Africa team are working closely together. And there is of course a co-ordination at the top, which frequently happens and good collaboration.
"So I think what my predecessors built, I have the opportunity now perhaps to take it to the next level by working together with our NBA colleagues on a league in a continent that is with a huge potential.
"And of course, they see their big commercial potential and growing the game -- and that is the common goal: growing the game. From our side, we see the big opportunity to have club basketball developed in Africa to really develop new stars, and new stars that will stay in the continent and not necessarily leave at a very young age. And of course, build audiences in every single country that will be participating."
It will likely be a long-term game in terms of shipping profits back. The quandary for FIBA is that it badly needs its World Cup to succeed, to deliver decent TV ratings and social media buzz, to grow in value so that it can help finance myriad other initiatives around the globe and address a to-do list that includes expanding global participation in women's basketball and delivering a successful Olympic debut for 3x3 hoops at Tokyo 2020.
In all areas, Zagklis admits his tenure must be marked a willingness to adapt and grow. "That doesn't mean we will become a for-profit business. But we need to generate the necessary resources to re-invest in our sport. I would expect to see women's basketball a couple of steps higher than today."
In Europe, FIBA continues to divert ample resources towards its Basketball Champions League, established three years ago in an expensive attempt to lure super-clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona away from the independent counterweight of the EuroLeague.
The overtures were rejected then, and remain unwelcome. The EuroLeague still dwarfs the challenger brand. Under Baumann, there was a sense of an unfinished war over the issue. Conflicts have ended up in court. The change of guard may perhaps ease the route towards some kind of agreement that allows both parties to retain their territory and collude -- as FIBA does with the NBA -- where there are win-wins available.
If and when peace breaks out, it will be a quiet rapprochement, Zagklis confirms.
"From our side, I would maintain that there is dialogue to take place and this will not take place publicly. At least not the bulk of it.
"Because perhaps with all the respect to the press, and of course the interest that our fans have, sometimes in the past, perhaps we've put a bit too much on the media of that discussion and negotiation times."