PARIS (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) – Leo Westermann has long been a household name in European basketball, but the 24-year-old point guard finally feels his time has come to shine for France in the FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

The versatile player has taken a big step forward in his career during the season in Zalgiris Kaunas under the guidance of former Lithuania great and pick-and-roll maestro Sarunas Jasikevicius, who shared some of his magic with the up-and-coming Frenchman.

"I think now it is my time, I have a strong year behind me, I feel everything is set for me to finally be on the national team and show I can give something to my country."Leo WestermannLeo Westermann

In spite of being on France's medal-winning squad at FIBA EuroBasket 2015 as a last-hour addition before the tournament, Westermann believes his real national team career will start this summer.

FIBA.com spoke with the French guard about the past season, working with one of his childhood idols and wanting to prove his worth to coach Vincent Collet ahead of FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

It wouldn't be an overstatement to call your season in Lithuania a success – Zalgiris surprised a lot of people in Europe, you took home the LKL crown and you played a major role for the team. Are you happy with the decision to come to Kaunas?
Definitely, yes. I was coming off a difficult season in Limoges in France. My team wasn't in the Play-Offs and even though I wasn't playing bad, it was a lot to ask from a top European team to take a risk on me. I will always be grateful for what Zalgiris did for me and for them believing in me. I'm really happy to have made this choice, but it was more Zalgiris taking the risk and not me. In the end, it worked out for both sides and I could not have expected a better season personally. The club gave me a lot, Saras gave me a lot and the coaching staff gave me a lot. The players and everyone at the club trusted me and I felt my confidence grow. The team was playing well and I was playing well, so I can easily say it was the right move.

Can you talk about how special it was to be working with coach Jasikevicius, a player you once looked up to while growing up, and in what ways did he help you become a better player in particular?
You know, we have the same type of game, we are both pick-and-roll players. And he was a master at that. He taught me a lot of little things during the practice every day in terms of running a pick-and-roll – how to initiate it, where the pass should go. I learned a lot of valuable details and improved both my skills and tactical understanding. The same goes for the intangibles – how to run a team, how to win. He is a winner and a leader and just by watching him run the team, I learned a lot.

You made your debut for the French national team in the home FIBA EuroBasket 2015 in France. Two years isn't a very long period of time, but if you compare Leo Westermann in 2015 and Leo Westermann in 2017, what would you say is the biggest difference?
Even though I was on the national team in 2015, my international career hasn't really started yet. Thomas Heurtel and Antoince Diot had some issues, so it wasn't a coach decision. I made the team because I was the third guy in line for the spot. For me, it's like I've never really been on the national team and I really want to earn a spot on merit this summer and prove I deserve my spot. Playing for your country is something special for me.

The main difference for me between 2015 and 2017 is that now I had a great club season in Europe, playing as a foreigner. It's always more difficult to play in another country, because you have to be stronger mentally and you have to play a different way than you would as a home-grown player in France.

Tony Parker retired from the national team and there's a big point guard vacancy...do you feel like you're approaching a bigger role in the national team this season, are you ready to take more responsibility on your shoulders?
Yes, sure. Everybody on the team will need to step up, because no one is going to replace Tony Parker individually. He is by far the best French player to ever play the game, so the team will have to function in a different way to compensate his absence.

There are a lot of players in guard positions, who could take the spot. There are a lot of good players at the positions one and two for France and coach Collet will have a rich choice. It's not going to be easy for me, because all of the players had great seasons. It just shows that the French national team is very good and has a lot of talent.

As you mentioned, the talent pool coach Collet has at his disposal is still off the charts. Even with the absence of Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum and Rudy Gobert, France has a very strong squad. Does it change anything in terms of being a medal contender?
No, I don't think so. We already saw that when France finished third in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 without Parker. It is of course going to be difficult without Parker, Batum and Gobert, who are very important pieces to this team. But we have a lot of players knocking on the door of the national team and we'll definitely be going to FIBA EuroBasket 2017 to fight for the medals. We don't have to change our mindset, we just have to show people we're still a good team, even with these three players absent.

Who are the other tournament favorites in your mind?
Like always, Spain. They won the last one, so they're going to be the main team to beat. Who else? Lithuania are going to be very good, Serbia are of course there too. In the past five to six years, it has been pretty much always been the same teams at the top. There are some other really good teams, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia… Greece can be very good. But I think that Spain, Serbia and Lithuania are going to be the other main contenders.

You were one of the last players to be cut before FIBA EuroBasket 2013, then the Rio Olympics last year. Was that tough to take and did it act as extra motivation for you to come back stronger the next time?
Definitely. I left the team in 2013 in the very last cut and they went on to become European champions, so it was kind of frustrating to be the last one to miss out on the team, as they won FIBA EuroBasket. After my knee injuries, I wasn't on the team and wasn't able to compete. I think now it is my time, I have a strong year behind me, I feel everything is set for me to finally be on the national team and show I can give something to my country.

You've played in two basketball-mad countries (Serbia and Lithuania) in your career and have been a fan favorite in both. Looking forward to maybe crossing paths with either of those national teams further down the line in the competition, would these games be a special occasion?
I've already checked the calendar and we have a friendly game against Lithuania in Kaunas. If I am part of the group going to FIBA EuroBasket 2017, it would be something special if we meet Lithuania and Serbia. I now have very good friends in both teams. I feel closer to these two countries, having played there. I learned their culture, I made some friends, so it would be something special for sure.

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