GRE – Obradovic demands the best from youngster Calathes

BARCELONA (Euroleague) - Panathinaikos coach Zeljko Obradovic wasn't surprised Greece international guard Nick Calathes turned in one of the finest performances of his professional career on Friday at the Euroleague Final Four.

The veteran boss expected it.

Calathes, 22, had a career-high 17 points in the Euroleague and a terrific game overall as the Greens beat Montepaschi Siena 77-69 to reach the title game in Barcelona.

"For people who don't know (Calathes), maybe it was a surprise how well he played,” Obradovic said.

“For me and the coaches, it was not.

"I told him before the game what I expect from him.

"He also played like this in the play-offs."

Calathes turned a lot of heads in both the United States and Europe when he decided to leave the Florida Gators after his sophomore season and sign for Panathinaikos.

In his first season with the Greens and for the early part of this one, he spent a lot of time sitting and watching during games and understanding that when it comes to Panathinaikos, nothing is given to a player.

In the play-offs, and especially against the then defending champions Regal Barcelona, Calathes showed everyone why the NBA is probably in his future with a composed performance.

The point guard had 12 points, three assists, three steals and three rebounds in the 78-67 Game 4 win that punched Panathinaikos' ticket to the Final Four.

"He has quality, but he is young," Obradovic said after the win against Siena.

"He played excellent, but at one point had a stupid play. This is natural. He know me and we have our way to do things. We communicated. I am very happy because he played the way he knows how to play."

The Minnesota Timberwolves had the draft rights to Calathes but traded them to Dallas in 2009. The T-Wolves have representatives in Spain right now watching the Final Four and will no doubt be wondering if they did the right thing by letting those rights go. 

Calathes is expected to figure for Greece at EuroBasket in Lithuania, for his third consecutive summer of senior national team duties. He played in Poland two years ago and at last summer's FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

FIBA