Greece head coach Vassilis Spanoulis criticized officiating standards at EuroBasket 2025 after his team’s 96-80 win over Spain, arguing that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has not received fair treatment compared with other international stars such as Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic.
In his postgame press conference via Eurohoops, Spanoulis highlighted the disparity in free throw attempts between teams and pointed directly to Antetokounmpo’s limited trips to the line.
“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,” Spanoulis said. “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. If we face Luka, Jokic, and Sengun, Markkanen, like this, we have to face Giannis the same way. Just 12 free throws are few for Giannis; he could have had another 10 for sure.”
Spanoulis emphasized that his criticism was not aimed at Spain’s coaching staff or players but at the officiating standards.
“We have a team in which we respect everybody, and first of all, me, as a person, I respect a lot coach Scariolo and Spain, which has accomplished amazing things over the last 15 years,” Spanoulis said. “But I have to be fair with myself and the game, and to say the truth.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo powers Greece to Round of 16 as Luka Doncic shines for Slovenia at EuroBasket
Antetokounmpo dominated the game despite the controversy, nearly recording a triple-double. He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists while shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 7-for-12 from the free throw line in 31 minutes. He posted a game-high efficiency rating of 35 and a plus/minus of +12.
The victory secured Greece’s position at the top of Group C with a 4-1 record, tied with Italy. Antetokounmpo has been one of the standout performers of the tournament, ranking second in scoring average at 27.7 points per game and third in rebounds at 9.7 per contest. He has also averaged five assists, one steal, and carried an efficiency rating of 32.3 with a plus/minus of +18. He has shot 69.6 percent from the field and 62.1 percent from the free throw line, attempting nearly 10 free throws per game.
Greece now turns its attention to the Round of 16 on Sunday in Riga, where it will face Israel. The Israeli side enters the knockout stage following a 106-96 defeat to Slovenia, a game highlighted by Doncic’s dominant performance. The Lakers star produced 37 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and one block, while shooting 12-for-21 from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the line.
The Round of 16 meeting will test Greece’s ability to maintain momentum as Antetokounmpo continues to play at an elite level amid scrutiny of officiating consistency.
