FRA - Diot looks up to Tony

PARIS (EuroBasket 2011) - It’s easy to sense the gratitude Antoine Diot has for France's basketball icon, Tony Parker.

The two played together for Les Bleus at EuroBasket 2009 in Poland and were such a good combination that national team coach Pierre Vincent made it a priority to have the two guards back in the team this summer.

Parker, a mega-star with the San Antonio Spurs, is likely to start and receive most of the minutes during the EuroBasket but Le Mans playmaker Diot plans to be a spark when needed, as was the case two years ago.

When it comes to Parker, Diot says: "Tony took me under his wing.

"We really communicated, and not only technically, he also guided me on the mental level..."

Collet's decision to include Diot in the team again this summer did raise eyebrows.

Kept out of the FIBA World Championship last year because of a back injury, Diot struggled to replicate his form of previous years at Le Mans this season.

"I had a difficult season, and I want to use this European Championship as a springboard to revive all that," he said.

FIBA