( CNN ) -- Bo McCalebb , a 26-year old from New Orleans , makes for an unlikely Macedonian national hero . Until a year ago the basketball player had not even set foot in the small Balkan country , but since helping the national team to their biggest ever international sporting success last month , he 's become one of Macedonia 's favorite adopted sons . McCalebb was instrumental in Macedonia 's fourth-place finish , their highest ever , at the EuroBasket championships in Lithuania . If not quite `` Bo the Great , '' he 's since been given the moniker `` Borche McCalebbovski '' by wags in the local media , who quickly picked up on the unprecedented fervor the team 's wins created across the country . `` The team was greeted in Skopje as if they had won the golden medal , '' remembers 32-year-old Mimoza Kasapi-Nuhiu , a resident of Macedonia 's capital . `` Lots of people went out on the streets on a working day , singing , banging their drums and cheering like never before . '' Were you there ? Send in your photos and videos of Macedonia . Although not a sports fan , Kasapi-Nuhiu realized what an impact the international exposure had on the country 's self image and the boost it gave the population . `` Macedonia was mentioned more times in a single basketball game on international TV than during its whole 20 years of existence since its independence , '' said Kasapi-Nuhiu . McCalebb 's part in this unlikely national celebration began just a year ago . After graduating from the University of New Orleans , McCalebb was ignored by NBA teams and moved to Europe , playing for teams in Turkey , Serbia and now in Italy for Menssana Siena . It was while in Serbia in 2010 that he caught the attention of Dejan Lekic , the Secretary General of the Macedonian Basketball Federation . Each national team in Europe is allowed a naturalized player and Lekic saw McCalebb as a key addition to a team that had been steadily improving for six years . `` Usually you need to take a few months to check the personality , to check the qualities and character ... with Bo we were without worries , '' he said . `` A few times we went out for coffee and colas and we were soon laughing at jokes ; he was Macedonian after two weeks already , '' added Lekic . McCalebb spends a month each year training with the Macedonian national squad and admits to only knowing `` the bad stuff '' when it comes to speaking the language . It was a surprise to get a call from Lekic , he admits , but unconcerned by any culture shock ( or loss of U.S. citizenship ) he also saw the chance to represent Macedonia as a way to boost his own career . `` I talked to a lot of older players and they said you can play longer with a ( European ) passport ; I did n't even think about it , I just said yes . '' For Lekic , Macedonia 's adventure at EuroBasket was `` one magical story , '' but he is realistic when it comes to the future for the team that he says remains underfunded and lacks adequate government backing . `` It 's very hard to work only with enthusiasm but without money . People think you just need a few balls , shoes and jerseys . Now is the time to either go forward or just survive year by year , '' he said . Qualification for next year 's Olympic Games would be even better than this year 's success , says Lekic , but the way in which the team 's heroics brought about something like national unity was something more valuable than a boost to Macedonia 's sporting profile . Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia relatively peacefully in 1991 , but the country has been beset by internal tensions between Christian and Muslim ethnic groups . Country profile : Macedonia . In 2001 the country was racked by months of violence between extremist groups from the country 's ethnic communities and the Macedonian military . `` I 'm happy that during EuroBasket lots of congratulations came from ethic Albanians and Muslims , '' said Lekic . `` It makes me proud , because it 's like we 're making something forward in the development of unity of the country . '' The basketball celebrations also gave Kasapi-Nuhiu reasons to be hopeful for a more harmonious Macedonia . `` The day when Macedonia was playing Russia for the bronze ( medal ) a friend of mine had posted on Facebook that he had heard his young Albanian neighbors cheering for the Macedonian team , '' said Kasapi-Nuhiu . `` I remember his Facebook status saying 'There is hope for this place after all ... ' '' Staying out of politics , Lekic is determined to bring more success to the country by nurturing the best talent wherever it comes from -- McCalebb aside . `` It 's time to stop the divisions ; we are all Macedonians , '' he said . `` It 's a question of when Albanian basketball players , or even a coach , play with the national team . It will be not because he is Albanian , but because he is good . '' Correction : An earlier published version of this article incorrectly stated Bo McCalebb attended University of Louisiana , not University of New Orleans .
Macedonia achieved forth place at recent European basketball championships . Naturalized player , Bo McCalebb was key to the team 's success . Unexpected wins lead to huge celebrations in Macedonia 's captial . Some signs that ethnic divisions could be bridged by sports success .