Spain’s Olympic basketball squad has the talent to match the United States, according to Serge Ibaka.

The Spain international is confident the 2008 silver medalists can compete with the 2012 gold medal favourites and world champions during the games.

“They are just like us, they also have players with a lot of talent,” the Oklahoma City power forward said on Saturday in his first full day of training with the Spanish team. “They are a different team to 2008, but their players are still very good.”

This will be the 22-year-old Ibaka’s first Olympics playing with Spain, which he helped guide to the European Championship title last summer soon after being nationalised. Ibaka, who is of Congolese origin, is so excited about the London Games that he even turned up at camp early to get preparations going.

“There’s no time to rest, we have to find our rhythm for the competition already for these friendly games we have, see how we feel,” said Ibaka, who helped lead Oklahoma City to the NBA finals in June before losing the Miami Heat in five games.

Spain has the bulk of its 2008 team - including Pau Gasol, brother Marc and Rudy Fernandez - returning apart from injured point guard Ricky Rubio.

Spain has several friendlies before opening against China on 29 July in London, including one against the US in Barcelona on 24 July. If the pair lives up to their billing as competition favourites, they won’t meet again until the 12 August final after being drawn into different groups.

“We should only worry about our own preparations because it’s a long road to the final,” Ibaka said. “The most important thing is to give our all to get there.”