Following a dominant 96-80 victory over Spain, Greece head coach Vassilis Spanoulis took aim at officiating in EuroBasket 2025, claiming disparities in foul calls are disadvantaging his team’s leader, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But Spanoulis went another step further, dragging Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic into the drama by suggesting Antetokounmpo is treated differently to the Slovenian.
At a postgame press conference, Spanoulis highlighted inconsistencies in free throw attempts that he found troubling: “One more time, I have seen a lot of difference in the number of free throws. I have to see the game again. In such a game, one team can’t have 37 attempts and the other 19.”
He then drew a direct comparison with other international stars: “You can’t have Luka (Doncic) and other players taking 20-23 free throws per game and Giannis begging to get a foul while getting hacked. At least two times, he should have been awarded unsportmanlike fouls, and we have to face everybody with the same criteria.”
Giannis carries on with dominant performance
Spanoulis emphasized that his criticism was not directed at Spain’s players or coach, but squarely at the referees.Despite the controversy, Giannis delivered a sterling performance-nearly recording a triple-double.
He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 7-for-12 from the free throw line in 31 minutes, boosting Greece to the top of Group C with a 4-1 record.
Spanoulis’ remarks spotlight a growing concern among players and coaches about how officiating influences outcomes. Doncic, for example, has been vocal in the past about perceived disparities in how referees treat megastars.
In one EuroBasket matchup against France, Slovenia’s coach exploded on refs with a fiery “Shame on you” after officials neglected to call an unsportsmanlike foul on a blatant shove-and instead penalized Luka with a technical foul.
A broader analysis reveals differences between NBA and FIBA standards may be at play. The NBA, known for allowing more physicality and star leeway, contrasts sharply with FIBA’s stricter interpretations.
Is Spanoulis right?
Spanoulis’ charge suggests that referees are perhaps overcorrecting on the opposite side-treating Giannis with less leniency in critical moments.
Another perspective comes from coverage of Slovenia’s games, where stories abound of Luka being targeted or limited by officials. Some argue that officiating aims to avoid giving stars excessive advantage, but critics say this only creates a new brand of unfairness.
Vassilis Spanoulis wasn’t holding back: in his view, Giannis Antetokounmpo is not receiving the same treatment as peers like Luka Doncic in EuroBasket officiating.
His comments-far from personal-reflect a concern over consistency in the rules. As Greece heads into the knockout stages, the spotlight may well shift from just players on the court to those calling the game.
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