By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
Nick Calathes has returned to Panathinaikos after three years, more mature and more prepared to undertake the role of the leader in the new era following the gradual withdrawal of Dimitris Diamantidis from the forefront.
Panathinaikos had set as this summers’s big goal – like last year’s – the acquisition of the Greek-American guard. They waited patiently until he became a free agent, considered the NBA market and, eventually, signed with his first professional team. Last year, something similar happened. Nick Calathes was the greens’ top priority, but in the end the player decided to stay with the Memphis Grizzlies, for the full extent of his contract. Even though he had decided to stay with the Grizzlies, he visited Panathinaikos’s offices, he got his picture taken with the team’s owner, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, and promised that as soon as he left the NBA he would sign with the greens. Which he did, a year later.
His career
From his college years with the Florida Gators Nick Calathes had shown that his competitive… ceiling was going to be very high. After two years at college he decided to begin his professional career, accepting the proposition for a three-year contract for 2,4 million euros in the summer of 2009. The amount was huge for a 20-year-old who didn’t have any experience on European courts, but Panathinaikos were vindicated for their choice.
A year earlier he had obtained the Greek passport (together with his older brother Pat) and he had played with the U20 National team in the Eurobasket. However, he was properly introduced to European audiences in the 2009 Eurobasket when he helped Greece win the bronze medal despite all the absences that the team had.
The series that changed his career
For the first year and a half he was trying to adapt to the demands of Panathinaikos and of coach Zeljko Obradovic, having a limited a role in the star-studded team of the greens. However, in the Euroleague playoff series against Barcelona in the 2010-11 season, there was a total transformation in Calathes and he came of age – in basketball terms – very quickly. “Zots” assigned him to mark Juan Carlos Navarro in the framework of a complex box and one defense and the then 22-year-old guard did splendidly. He entered the elite of European guards and completed that season by winning the sixth European trophy for Panathinaikos.
Next year he had an even more upgraded role, and had his best season in the Euroleague. He reached the Final Four in Istanbul, but that summer he left Panathinaikos together with his coach, Zeljko Obradovic, but also the overwhelming majority of his teammates.
He agreed to continue his career in Lokomotiv Kuban, receiving 1,4 million euros a year. His year was excellent (15 points, 5,8 assists, 4,6 rebounds per game in the Eurocup) winning the Eurocup and the MVP award of the tournament.
His term in the NBA
Following these enormous strides in his progress he sought a contract in the NBA and he achieved his goal. He signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, realizing his childhood dream. He had a role on the rotation (with 16,5 minutes on average) until April 2014 when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was suspended for 20 games missing the end of the 2013-2014 season and the start of the next one. His role was limited compared to his rookie year and his numbers dropped, however, after the end of the season he tried to get another contract in the NBA. He didn’t make it and this time he said the big “yes” to Panathinaikos.
Prediction: The leading role and the smooth transition
The greens anointed him as the highest paid player on their roster and their next leader for the post-Diamantidis era. Panathinaikos’s leader is now 35 years old and in recent years he looks like he needs a player-foothold on his side that will help him reduce his playing time and at the same time skyrocket the quality minutes when he’s on the court.
Calathes can easily take on this role and offer valuable breathing space that will elevate Diamantidis’s quality. He’s excellent in his organizational duties with the knack to play effectively both in transition as well as in set game. He has an explosive first step that can penetrate opposing defenses, while he has improved his long-range shot, which was the obstacle to his development in the first years of his career.
Panathinaikos has reserved a leading role for him and Djordjevic will build the team around him. It’s the first time in his career that Calathes will be called upon to undertake such a role, but at 26 years of age he has a lot of experience at the top level and he can easily carry out his mission. He has excellent quality as a player and he can make the difference in Panathinaikos’s backcourt, but in order to see whether he will be effective as a leader he needs to match with his teammates, who have to be of similar quality. In any case, Panathinaikos’s move is the appropriate one for a smooth transition into a new era with a different captain…