Keeper: Nick Calathes, Florida

Smurphs

On Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 10:42pm, Smurphs elected to keep Nick Calathes, Florida. The Gator floor general played a similar role for Smurphs' squad last year. When Calathes was at his best, everyone around him played better. As the top fantasy guard in the league by far, Smurphs had a relatively easy decision on their hands. In the end, the former first-round pick and 5th overall league scorer will be suiting up for Smurphs once again. If they can put together another monster supporting cast, look out for this dangerous young franchise.

Calathes' first two seasons in Gainesville both ended in disappointing NIT appearances. Though Florida has struggled finding team success, Calathes is one of the best at stringing together complete games. His stat lines were usually solid across the board (averaging 17ppg, 5rpg, 6apg) last season. Due to his personal success, Calathes made himself eligible for the upcoming NBA draft on March 30, 2009. His chances of being drafted are slim to none, so Calathes should be back wearing orange and blue for at least one more year.

He's not your prototypical point-guard, but Calathes brings a lot to the table. Few collegiate guards possess his size, at a long 6'5". This makes passing much easier when you have below-average quickness. His strongest attribute is his basketball IQ. Calathes is capable of running any tempo and style of offense, while always looking to get his teammates involved. Improving his shot selection raised his 3pt percentage to 42%. On the defensive end, Calathes has room to improve. He puts effort in on the boards, but his on-the-ball defense could use some work. Calathes lacks the lateral movement to stay in front of his man. Though he averaged 1.9 steals per game, he gambles far too often, putting his teammates at a disadvantage. His development during his junior campaign will be vital to his NBA aspirations. We'll see if Calathes can finally get the Gators off the bubble, and into the NCAA tournament for the first time since winning back-to-back titles.

Smurphs took a gamble on Calathes last year, and he turned out to be a gem. He averaged more than 30 FCHP over 14 starts, including 4 double-doubles and 1 triple-double. Calathes is a great player to build a team around, as his production is fairly consistent. Billy Donovan trusts the former McDonald's All-American to be his coach on the floor, so he's going to have the ball the majority of the time. It's no surprise the Gator offense revolves around Calathes, and don't expect that to change anytime soon.