French NBA star Tony Parker is looking to lead the France national side to title glory at the European championships in Sweden in September. Parker, an NBA champion with San Antonio Spurs last month, insists the France team have the potential to win the trophy after finishing fifth in the last championships in 2001. "The objective of the French team is the title," said Parker, who refuses to be considered a star despite his fame in the United States. "We have the talent and the players to win it. It is true that there are very dangerous sides like Germany, Spain and Yugoslavia, but we do have a crazy team. "Guys like Boris Diaw and Ronny Turiaf were with me when we were playing in juniors and won the European title. "This is a great generation of players, added up with the experienced ones like Alain Digbeu, Laurent Foirest, and Moustapha Sonko, not to mention Tariq Abdul Wahad and Jerome Moiso who also play in the NBA." He added: "As far I am concerned I feel like a leader. I will try to lead the game and do a great job with everyone." Parker, 21, has enjoyed an exceptional career so far. Son of a former American basketball player who is now a commentator on French television, Parker took an early interest in soccer before catching basketball fever after meeting former Chicago Bulls and USA star Michael Jordan in Chicago in 1996. He then spent two years between 1997 and 1999 at the national sports institute INSEP before winning the European junior championships with the French national team. In 1999 he joined Paris BR and enjoyed a successful season before going on to join the Spurs. Parker went on: "Since I started playing basketball I have always been under pressure. I was very soon called `the prodigy'. "Nothing is more beautiful for me than winning the NBA title, but this does not mean that being European champion is not important for me." The French team is currently in Sweden for a one-week training camp and will, however, be without Malaga's Frederic Weis (injured) and Golden Gate Warriors' Mickael Pietrus, who has also pulled out. | 
