Euroleague Referee Difallah Reflects on jasikevičius’ Passion, Spanoulis’ Intelligence
VILNIUS, Lithuania – Veteran Euroleague referee M. Difallah recently shared anecdotes about coaching personalities Šarūnas Jasikevičius and Vasilis Spanoulis during an appearance on the “Triple Treat Show” podcast. Difallah,who has officiated in the Euroleague since 2017 and five EuroLeague Final fours,described both coaches as highly bright and capable of leveraging their personalities to gain an edge during games,while maintaining respect for the officials.
Difallah recounted a specific instance involving Jasikevičius becoming overly involved on the court. “I remember a game when Char was too close to the pitch and my job is to tell him that the coach has to stay in his zone,” Difallah explained. “Š. Jasikevicius apologized to me, but he soon did it a second time. It was obvious that the passion of the player was burning in his eyes.” Jasikevičius even expressed a desire to demonstrate techniques on the court himself,a request Difallah had to deny.
The referee noted a shift in Jasikevičius’ demeanor. “Char has changed a bit. He’s calmer now, but both he and Spanoulis are very intelligent. They are able to use their personalities to benefit themselves during the match. They are very respectful coaches though and they do everything to win the match.”
Difallah expressed admiration for the opportunity to work alongside such experienced figures. “I’ve been watching these people since childhood and I feel blessed to be able to work with such coaches,” he shared.
