The Greece men’s basketball team earned a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday thanks in large part to former Florida Gators standout [autotag]Nick Calathes[/autotag]. The Greeks clinched the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament they hosted in Piraeus with an 80-69 win over Croatia.
Calathes put up 10.0 points, 10.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, leading his team to a 4-0 record in tournament play, including a 14-point effort to earn player of the game honors in Sunday’s championship.
A two-time All-SEC player at Florida, Calathes has been competing on Greece’s senior national team since 2009 and will become the first Florida men’s basketball alum to appear in the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament. He joins Canyon Barry — who will represent the USA in 3×3 men’s basketball event — as the two Gators hoops players in Paris.
The UF alumnus played two years in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2013-2015, averaging 4.6 points, 2.7 assists, 1.9 rebounds and a steal while averaging 15.6 minutes of playing time per game.
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