Nick Kalathis is returning to the Greek national basketball team to help its bid to qualify for the World Cup. The 37-year-old guard, who will play for PAOK next season, will join Greece for crucial qualifiers against Ukraine on August 28 and Spain on August 31.
His last appearance for the national team came in the 2024 Olympic quarterfinal against Germany. Tyler Dorsey is also expected to be available to coach Vasilis Spanoulis.
Naturalized Spot and Injuries
Dorsey's presence as the naturalized player means Thomas Walkup, Naz Mitrou-Long and Elijah Mitrou-Long will not be called up. Kostas Sloukas, Nikos Rogkavopoulos and Giorgos Papagiannis are also not expected to be included, as they are recovering from injuries.
The Greek Basketball Federation is trying to secure the Miami Heat's consent for Giannis Antetokounmpo, though it appears unlikely he will be available. His brothers, Kostas and Thanasis, are expected to play as normal.
Spanoulis's squad call-ups are expected this week, with training starting next week. Greece will also play two friendlies at the Telekom Center Athens, against Poland on August 22 and Cyprus on August 24.
