MUNICH (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - When Hedo Turkoglu walks back into Sinan Erdem Arena for the Final Phase of FIBA EuroBasket 2017, he can be forgiven for having a sense of déjà vu.

In 2010, Sinan Erdem Arena was the host of the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and subsequently, one of the biggest moments in Turkish men's basketball history. On that occasion Turkoglu was taking centre-stage.

The 15-year NBA veteran was at the top of his game, riding the wave of feverish home town support to take an unfancied Turkish team all the way to the gold medal game where they would eventually come undone against a Kevin Durant-led American team. He would later join Durant in the tournament All-Star Five.

Now, for the first time since that famous run in Turkish basketball history, Sinan Erdem Arena is set to once more welcome back a FIBA men’s competition, and Turkoglu will be there once more, as part of his new role as Turkish Basketball Federation CEO, which he took following his official retirement from basketball in November.

"It's going to be huge for our country and to expose them to basketball again," Turkoglu told FIBA.com following the Host Announcement Ceremony, in Munich, Germany on Saturday.

History suggests, that for Turkey more than most countries, hosting plays a major role in the team’s success, with their only EuroBasket (silver in 2001) and World Cup medals (silver in 2010), coming when they played host.

"When we play at home we get the energy and synergy from the fans with whom we bond a lot. It's unbelievable," offered Turkoglu as further conviction of the advantages of his nation playing at home. "They always support us at national team level. It's going to be fun."

Despite the tournament still being nearly a full two years away, Turkoglu insists Turkey cannot afford to become too complacent.

"It's our job right now to build a squad that is going to represent us in the best way possible and hopefully it will get us great results. I will directly be involved with the team and our goal will be, already starting now, to try and build a team that can get a good result and help basketball in the country to grow."

Part of that will be looking to the future, and taking advantage of an upcoming generation that have won Turkish basketball a swag of medals at European and international level over the past three years.

"We have a lot of young guys who will have an impact in 2017. We have to now find a way to prepare them in the best way and hopefully they can remain injury-free and they will play a big role in helping us get the best results."

Turkey will host a Group Phase group and the Final Phase, whilst the other three Group Phase groups will be played out in Finland, Israel and Romania.

FIBA