Vassilis Spanoulis used his post-game press conference not only to reflect on Greece’s win and Spain’s elimination but also to pay respect and raise a major concern.
He first congratulated Sergio Scariolo and the Spanish national team for their incredible run of dominance over the past decade and a half. Spanoulis also praised his own players for their effort in the crucial game, acknowledging both the highs and lows of their performance.
“An amazing first half,” he said proudly, before admitting, “we slowed down so much.”
Still, he insisted that victories of this kind matter in the long run: “In the end, such wins build character.”
That, however, was just the prelude to a more pointed statement. Before moving on from Cyprus to Riga for the knockout stage, Spanoulis openly addressed what he perceives as an officiating imbalance, particularly regarding his star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“One more time, I have seen a lot of difference in the number of free throws,” Spanoulis said. “I have to see the game again. In such a game, one team can’t have 37 attempts and the other 19. 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, 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. 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, but I have to be fair with myself and the game, and to say the truth.”
Spanoulis’s captain, Kostas Papanikolaou, also spoke after the game, underlining the significance of the result for the team’s morale going forward.
“Ι am happy my teammates responded like this, and this kind of close games can give a boost for the rest of the tournament,” he remarked.
For Papanikolaou, the night carried an even deeper personal meaning. By stepping on the court, he tied Greek legend Nikos Galis with 168 appearances for the national team, entering the All-Time Top 10 for games played in Greek basketball history.
“It’s a big honor for me to be in this list with the All-Time Greats of the national team,” Papanikolaou said. “I didn’t believe that would be my course. I feel blessed. I don’t have anything smart to say; I am just glad and proud that I have the chance to represent my country. I have the chance to wear this jersey from 2005 in the junior national teams, I never took it lightly, it’s a great honor and a great responsibility.”
"You can't have Luka with 23 free throws per game and Giannis begging to get a foul while getting hacked" 🥊
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 4, 2025
Greek national team coach Vassilis Spanoulis defending Giannis Antetokounmpo and asked for the same criteria with other starshttps://t.co/b5HUx7BvMV
