Mathias Lessort talks his future in Partizan, shares his top 3 MVP candidates / News - Basketnews.com

Mathias Lessort is not overthinking his future, but he enjoys his time in Partizan and recognizes his opportunity in the Serbian powerhouse.

Credit: EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages Credit EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages

Every energy drink or coffee company should seriously consider him as the ambassador for their brand. One of the most outstanding players of the 2022-23 EuroLeague season, Matthias Lessort, makes the playoff race and upcoming free agency very exciting.

Points this season

50%84,3Points made:84,3Accuracy:49,9%Place in standings:3Record max:100Record min:58Best scorer:Kevin PunterTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

His high energy and relentless drive are critical factors in keeping Partizan afloat during tough games. And it shows in the numbers - he's the second most efficient player in the EuroLeague with a 20.3 performance index rating (PIR).

Not only is Lessort tied for the best overall rebounder in the tournament, with 7.2 rebounds per game, but he also leads in offensive boards with 3.3 ORP.

On defense, his one block per game solidifies his status as one of the top rim protectors in the league.

He's converting 69% of his field goals and ranks 21st among the best EuroLeague scorers (12.7 PPG).

In the first 22 games of the season, Lessort has consistently recorded a double-digit PIR. For comparison, the longest-ever streak of 10+ PIR was set by Nikola Mirotic with 28 games.

Despite all of his impressive accomplishments, he still manages to find the time to surprise everyone by being the best man at a Partizan fan's wedding.

"He plays like a guy who's on an open contract. Like he had a one-day deal, and every day, Partizan has the option to renew the deal. That's the energy and consistency he's bringing," Errick McCollum summed it up on the URBONUS podcast.

"I've never seen anybody who plays like he's never tired. I don't know what he's drinking, but he needs to stick with that because this guy has an unbelievable motor," McCollum added.

"First of all, I try to come out every game focused on helping the team to win," Lessort tried to explain his consistency in an interview with BasketNews.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade / Schedule

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne92-71 Zalgiris Kaunas Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade74-88 FC Bayern Munich Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradeThu19:30

But he believes nothing could have been possible without his teammates and coaches.

"I have a big role this year in the team, and I'm really blessed that my teammates and coach trust me. They're trying to do everything they can to put me in a good position. My teammates are looking out for me. So I just try to help the team. Make sure every game I come out ready to play hard and give energy to everybody," a 27-year-old French big admitted.

Lessort had a solid debut in the EuroLeague during the 2017-18 season, averaging 8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a 10.7 EFF while playing for Red Star Belgrade. However, he left the team after just one season and struggled to find his footing in the EuroLeague.

In Bayern Munich, Lessort's playing time was limited, averaging just 11 minutes per game and posting 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds. The following year, he signed a two-month deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv, but the Israeli powerhouse didn't keep him after averaging 7.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.

So what was it about Partizan that allowed Lessort to flourish?

"I had some different type of periods in the EuroLeague. In Red Star, it was a good beginning of the EuroLeague campaign. But then some stuff happened that I couldn't control. After that year, we went on different ways. But I'm just enjoying this moment even more because I know how hard it is to be in this position in the EuroLeague, where people trust you and give you playing time. I'm trying to enjoy it and make out the most of it in every game," Lessort said to BasketNews.

Lessort is poised to be one of the top EuroLeague players available in free agency in the upcoming summer.

With the understanding of how the right environment can enhance his talent, is it possible that this could play a role in his decision to remain in Belgrade for a few more years?

Since leaving his first professional team, Elan Chalon, Lessort has yet to stay with the same club for a second year.

"I don't even think about that right now. I'm just focused on winning as many games as possible with Partizan to help my team as well as I can," Lessort explained his mentality.

"I don't know what next year will be like. I don't even know what will be the next week. So I'm just trying to help the team, and I have no idea what is going to happen in the future," Lessort assured.

However, Lessort has expressed how content and happy he is at Partizan.

"I like it here. I'm happy there. My people like it here. I'm good with the coach and my teammates. Everything is good. So we will see what's the future," Lessort concluded.

Lessort's outstanding season is not only appreciated by fans but also by his peers.

Sasha Vezenkov, the front-runner for the EuroLeague MVP award, has named Lessort as his top pick in the MVP race.

"I've seen a lot of games, but the biggest impression for me was Matthias Lessort," Olympiacos forward responded on BasketNews Talks.

"I didn't expect him to play so consistently and solid. He's a really good player, but the consistency he's showing throughout all the games is impressive," Vezenkov praised Lessort.

There's mutual respect between those two.

"Actually, there's no doubt about who's going to be the No. 1 in that race. He's just dominating the league right now. Vezenkov is just dominating," Lessort shared his opinion on the best EuroLeague player this season.

"He's playing for a Top 3 team in the EuroLeague. They're in great shape. They've been in great shape the whole year. And he's been in great shape all year. Talking about consistency, they were very consistent the whole year. Olympiacos won some great games. So I think right now, he's No. 1."

"Two more names?" Lessort continued. "Maybe I would say Edy Tavares. He has a big impact on Real. Maybe on the stats, he's not the No. 1 or whatever, but his impact is undeniable."

"I would also say probably Micic," Lessort completed his top 3. "It's tough to say names because I really watch teams. I don't check stats and stuff like this so much. But I would probably say that from the players I watched, those three guys had the biggest impact."

Lessort's impact on the court is undeniable.

With Lessort playing, Partizan outscores their opponents by a substantial 15.8 points per 100 possessions compared to when he's on the bench.

This highlights Lessort's importance to the team, but it also comes with significant responsibility.

One of which is avoiding foul trouble.

In a game against Zalgiris, Lessort received two quick fouls at the beginning of the third quarter and was in foul trouble with three fouls.

The hosts started to make a run, and Lessort felt nervous about his wrong reads and the possibility of jeopardizing his team's lead.

Zalgiris began to score points through the paint, through post-ups or layups, and even converted an offensive rebound into a three-pointer, cutting Partizan's 17-point lead down to 11.

Despite his foul trouble, Partizan's head coach Zeljko Obradovic refused to spend any more time on the court without his main center.

"Great win. It's a very hostile environment. This gym is very hot, and fans are pushing them. Look how well they play at home. It's a very big win for us," Lessort recalled after a win, 88-74.

Before Partizan arrived in Kaunas, Zalgiris had an impressive 8-2 record at home, with top teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Fenerbahce unable to secure a win against them.

However, Partizan proved to be a formidable opponent, becoming one of the hottest teams in the tournament with a record of 8-2 in their last ten games.

"We don't really count games. We're taking one game at a time," Lessort assured BasketNews in Kaunas as Partizan sneaked into the playoff picture.

"Every game, we're coming down focused and ready to play, ready to give everything we have on the court. We try not to look at standings, but we focus on the game we have that day and then the next game," he concluded.

To this day, Partizan holds the worst defensive rating in the EuroLeague (per BBallytics). However, they have shown considerable improvement recently.

In the last stretch of 10 games, Partizan's defense was the 7th best in the tournament.

"It's just that we're coming out to names with big energy. Everybody is focused. We have a lot of people who contribute. I think it's our strength," Lessort explained the reasons behind Partizan's season turnaround.

"We don't rely on one or two players. We're a team where the threat is from everybody. The threat is a team. I think that's our strength," Lessort concluded.

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