Veteran point guard Nick Calathes recently shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics, from his early playing days to his experiences with the Greek national team and renowned coach Sarunas Jasikevicius. One of the main topics was his surprise at being left off the EuroLeague’s Top 25 all-time players list.
In a candid interview, Calathes expressed that while he respects all the players who made the list, he believes his consistent performance and achievements in the league should have earned him a spot. He highlighted his strong statistical record as a key reason for his surprise, offering a glimpse into how he views his contributions to European basketball over the years.
🤔 Thoughts on the All-Time List
Calathes admitted he was surprised not to see his name on the EuroLeague’s list of 25 greatest players. “If you look at everything I’ve done in EuroLeague and accomplished, there’s no way I shouldn’t be on that list,” he explained. He pointed to his consistent rankings across key statistics like points, assists, steals, and rebounds, noting, “I think I’m Top 15 in every stat possible.” While he made it clear the decision wouldn’t ruin his day, he also felt that other players like Jan Vesely were overlooked. He questioned the inclusion of players like Manu Ginobili, who, despite being a great player, only played one season in the EuroLeague.
🏀 Learning the Hard Way
Looking back on his career, Calathes recalled his challenging early days at Panathinaikos under the legendary coach Željko Obradović. He joined a team full of stars like Diamantidis, Spanoulis, and Jasikevicius, and found it difficult to get playing time. He shared a memorable story about falling asleep during a film session after a night out. Waking up to an angry Obradović shaking keys at him was, in his words, “the worst experience of my career,” but it taught him a valuable lesson. He said he gave his best performance ever in practice that day and has never closed his eyes in a film session since.
🇬🇷 Playing for Greece
Calathes spoke with great pride about his connection to the Greek national team. “I feel Greek,” he stated, emphasizing that it is an honor to wear the national jersey and that he plays for his grandfather. He also shared warm words about his teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo, describing him as a great person who is humble and down-to-earth despite his global fame. “He’s a clown, one of us. He’s hilarious, great to play with,” Calathes said, adding that Giannis is not full of himself and is just a regular guy who enjoys McDonald’s.
👨🏫 A Coach’s Evolution
Reflecting on his time playing for coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, Calathes noted a significant change in the coach’s style. He felt that during their time at Barcelona, Jasikevicius tended to control the game heavily. However, watching him at Fenerbahçe, Calathes sees a coach who has “changed completely” and allows his players more freedom. Despite past differences in their approach to the game, Calathes holds deep respect for the coach. “We’re still great friends,” he said. “He’s one of the best coaches in terms of IQ I’ve ever had.”
