No pressure. As if German superstar Dirk Nowitzki already didn’t have enough on his shoulders when he represents his home country.

Now Los Angeles Clipper center Chris Kaman says that his participation in the 2010 World Championships depends on Nowitzki being there.

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Read the following article culled from FIBA.com:

Germany will have a potent one-two punch if, as expected, Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman return to the squad and play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Los Angeles Clippers center Kaman, who represented the Germans for the first time at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens and helped the country reach the Beijing Games, did not play at EuroBasket 2009 while national team veteran Nowitzki also skipped the tournament in Poland to have some much-deserved rest.

Dallas Mavericks superstar Nowitzki was ecstatic when Germany received a wild card to play at the 24-team FIBA World Championship and indicated he would be back in Dirk Bauermann’s line-up and Kaman, who is enjoying a terrific campaign with the Clippers, is also talking about joining the Germans in Turkey.

“If he (Nowitzki) plays, I’m going to play,” Kaman said. “I think that if we have Dirk, it will give us a chance of winning and advancing to the later rounds of the Championships…

“I’ll base my decision on what Dirk does…I want to play, but I also want to win, and the chances are a lot better if Dirk plays.”

Germany will take on Serbia, Argentina, Australia, Jordan and Angola in Group A of the FIBA World Championship in Kayseri.

The EuroBasket 2009 no-shows by Nowitzki and Kaman may have been a blessing in disguise for Germany as some of the country’s best young talent received more playing time and had to take responsibility on the court.

Two of those starlets at the EuroBasket in Poland were Elias Harris and Lucca Staiger.

They are playing American college basketball at Gonzaga and Iowa State, respectively, and doing very well.

In the NBA, Nowitzki has been playing like an MVP again while Kaman has shown signs he may be an All-Star one day.

In his latest effort on Monday night, Kaman poured in 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Clippers’ 105-95 triumph over visiting Portland.

The 27-year-old is averaging better than 20 points and nine boards per contest.

His performances have helped the Clippers to a 15-18 record and kept them firmly in the hunt for a place in the NBA Western Conference Play-offs.

The summer of 2008 was a good one for Kaman because not only did he become an Olympian, but he also visited Germany, the country of his great grandparents, for the first time.

“I’m three generations removed,” Kaman said of being German to FanHouse. “But it’s a great place. I really enjoyed my time there. I hope one more time I can see the country more.”

Read the article at FIBA.com.