Rick Pitino: "Nick Calathes is the best passer I have seen in my lifetime," better than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

Everyone’s favorite Greek basketball coach is back in the headlines. Is anyone really surprised?

This time, it’s for a pretty bold statement. In a post-game interview, Pitino said one of his players, Nick Calathes, is the best passer he’s seen in his lifetime. He specifically says Calathes is better than two of the best basketball players of all time: Magic Johnson Larry Bird.

Coach @RealPitino : “I have coached against Magic, Bird, Cheeks, Isaiah Thomas. @Nick_Calathes15 is the best passer I have seen in my lifetime”pic.twitter.com/KoLpCCmXXp

— Eurohoops.net (@Eurohoopsnet) February 1, 2019

Calathes played basketball at the University of Florida, where he scored the most points of his collegiate career (33 points) against, who else, the University of Kentucky in 2009. After a brief stint with the Grizzlies, Calathes is currently playing for Pitino in Greece.

Calathes flirted with the triple-double after finishing with 20 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. He’s currently No. 8 on the EuroLeague’s all-time assist leaders list. But does that make him better than the best to ever play the game? Or even the seven people who are ahead of him on the EuroLeague’s list?

Pitino gonna Pitino.

If you need a good laugh, check out the replies to this tweet.

Rick Pitino says former Grizzlies guard Nick Calathes is a better passer than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird ?

(via @EuroLeague)pic.twitter.com/iaC5PBgqMI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 1, 2019