The Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) confirmed the news on Wednesday after FEB president José Luis Sáez and executive director Jesús Bueno thrashed out an agreement with Khimki director general Victor Bychkova in Moscow.

The deal allows the 47-year-old Scariolo, who spent many years coaching in Spain at Tau Ceramica, Real Madrid and Unicaja Malaga, to remain as Khimki boss.

"It's a great honour to coach Spain and I am full of pride," Scariolo said.

"The national team will be the best team I will have coached in my career.

"I want to match this honour with maximum effort, dedication and work ..."

Scariolo has yet to sign the deal although that is a mere formality.

At Khimki's request, Scariolo presented a detailed plan on how his coaching duties would be handled while he was away on national team duty, and the club approved it.

"I want to thank the Khimki executives for accepting the petition of the FEB," he said.

"To be able to coach the national team means to have achieved a professional aim."

Scariolo first coached in Spain in 1997 at Tau. During his tenture in the ACB, he also worked as the general manager of Real Madrid between 2000 and 2002.

Last year he was at Unicaja Malaga.

He believes he is perfectly suited for the job.

"I know a large number of international Spanish players after coaching them, and all of them for having studied their moments on the court when I have faced them," he said.

Spain will face Serbia, Slovenia and Great Britain in group play at this year's EuroBasket in Poland.