Even just one game into his EuroLeague coaching career, it’s easy to see how Vassilis Spanoulis is making an impact at AS Monaco.
Fluidity, fire and finishing: no surprises from Spanoulis’s Monaco
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 12 of 34
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One solitary game might be too early for meaningful judgments about Vassilis Spanoulis’s coaching trajectory, but Friday’s 88-91 debut victory for the new AS Monaco coach at his former club Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens certainly gave us some solid clues.
Firstly, fluidity.
Monaco headed into the game with an average of just 16.7 assists per game, one of the lowest figures in the league. In this game, however, the Roca Team demonstrated excellent ball movement, passing with a good rhythm and always looking for an open teammate to finish with 26 assists.
This should be no surprise whatsoever. Spanoulis, after all, was once the EuroLeague all-time assists leader (he now ranks fourth, behind Nick Calathes, Sergio Rodriguez and Kostas Sloukas), so the new Monaco boss knows a few things about sharing the ball.
And he is already passing on those messages to his new players, saying after Friday’s win: “When I landed in Monaco I told them that with the talent they have, they have to share the ball more. We were one of the lowest [in the league] in assists, so you have to create, to play together and create a winning mentality environment.”
Interestingly, the chief distributor at Panathinaikos was the man who succeeded Spanoulis himself as the competition’s all-time leading scorer, Mike James, who was held to just 6 points in scoring but orchestrated his team’s offensive efforts by dishing 10 assists with just 1 turnover.
And his new coach was extremely happy about that, enthusing: “When Mike James, the best scorer in the history of EuroLeague, passes the ball like this, you can tell this a good team. 10 assists, and not only assists – a lot of the time he created opportunities for some other teammate [to assist]. So Mike was unbelievable, like all the guys were unbelievable. Everybody contributed to the game, and I want to congratulate them.”
But basketball is about more than just pretty passing and, along with the fluidity, we also saw the fire.
Spanoulis was nothing if not the ultimately ferocious competitor, and it’s inevitable that his career on the sidelines will see him demand maximum effort from his players. That level of hustle was shown in Monaco’s impressive 39 points off turnovers and transitions, and the coach believes that will continue to be one of his team’s greatest assets.
Game Videos
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Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-AS Monaco | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/12/sp3r1qGWt02KUJLMca8xyHwbr1u6bhP3-1734036776412.jpg]()
Vassilis Spanoulis: 'We have patience'
- 01:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/12/ft0MuWM1T6KrXG46qA2051tZ3SXW9Dn5-1734036611545.jpg]()
Mike James: 'Just happy to get a win'
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7234ca74-47d2-436f-a75e-a2571e278008.jpg?crop=1157%3A651%3Anowe%3A84%3A82]()
Okobo on the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/bZo3BllnOts/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem-7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ea17add6-088e-4d73-9c17-8642fc688523.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A123%3A30]()
Lipkevicius creates a triple from nothing! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/VmMh4X0ihEo/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EuroLeague & Friends: Spanoulis's start, the play of Maledon and Shorts...
- 00:34
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/06/0Lop7tWGILA4ubrgcYTwNcFCRgJt2lAZ-1733522789163.jpg]()
What a chasedown block from Loyd! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 01:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/06/We55GCyb95aRS9VcKbak1ymk1vDiTGxr-1733519741283.jpg]()
Vassilis Spanoulis: 'The sky is the limit for Juhann Begarin'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/14d39f0b-6aa5-43c3-b6df-b2345f29f683.jpg]()
AS Monaco-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/875bff03-bffd-4cda-ab32-9cfdd0bdcba7.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A52%3A38]()
What a block from Jordan Loyd! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/99858902-ebd8-45a3-b25a-ab680d9972dd.jpg?crop=1350%3A759%3Anowe%3A0%3A102]()
Papagiannis dunks after a brilliant pass from James! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d533a928-6d2e-4081-a681-5326bc8d6373.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/97c49f43-a844-47d3-bac8-bbbf8a4c313d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A132%3A114]()
Lessort soars! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7e18fc91-7b10-458b-ac54-e73b637e0544.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:29
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/03/6jXDvfSnvn6XFZ9hR5sZHnVFOEGOSfJj-1733265475640.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I came in ready'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/07f63778-1d31-4fb5-b2ff-8d8b38b701c5.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-FC Barcelona | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7d706a77-2053-4c18-b9e2-f366c805b2a1.jpg?crop=1225%3A689%3Anowe%3A35%3A103]()
Lessort with a steal and a dunk in transition! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/22629fd2-fe4a-4e26-a86d-b4a553830d6d.jpg?crop=1215%3A683%3Anowe%3A5%3A71]()
Nunn with another midcourt buzzer-beater! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:26
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/22629fd2-fe4a-4e26-a86d-b4a553830d6d.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A0%3A30]()
Nunn beats the buzzer again! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3a121f47-4ccb-4d40-9042-3d259ed78a28.jpg]()
Nunn with a buzzer-beating mid-court triple! Motorola Magic Moment
- 02:52
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/29/zLorFj2YN8IkW6El92hB2AsJPV0o0mxd-1732919713234.jpg]()
Vassilis Spanoulis: 'You can tell this is a good team'
- 00:31
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/29/joPs3tx4a9UdUVWfjE5TUixmW1HE1yUa-1732918996777.jpg]()
What a power slam by Lessort! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d6554e25-d46b-48d9-be89-9f220016aadb.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-AS Monaco | RS Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4b6dd1a7-0956-4da4-967a-222bfbe53677.jpg?crop=929%3A523%3Anowe%3A0%3A160]()
Papagiannis blocks the way! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:27
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a0cb1602-ab20-407d-8c9b-2f153a7150b3.jpg?crop=980%3A551%3Anowe%3A213%3A1]()
Lessort has lift-off! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ffd34c62-98db-4e61-96c7-be082c86e6c5.jpg?crop=395%3A222%3Anowe%3A385%3A104]()
Blossomgame’s explosive slam! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/GZzt0du0g6A/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/358db529-d28b-4d72-aacf-51eb16816819.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A126%3A56]()
Yurtseven with the putback slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0a0edd92-5f4f-456f-8cca-62aff656ce7a.jpg?crop=1350%3A759%3Anowe%3A0%3A43]()
Big men connection! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:02
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/21/NuKYb9Fv3Z5BmveA3mTEST0oZ3AzjqXa-1732220459024.jpg]()
Elie Okobo: 'We were sharing the ball way more than usual'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a909d165-7207-424a-9be5-85eea4e3b986.jpg]()
AS Monaco-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/847f94bd-629d-41d1-b530-da9cc31b1c4b.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A65%3A19]()
Okobo with the reverse layup! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ffd34c62-98db-4e61-96c7-be082c86e6c5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A71%3A43]()
Blossomgame goes from defense to offense! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/00b75cd0-79a5-41f5-8275-cb3ba273994a.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 10 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:55
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/15/Avsk60VOydUfRHm9aSxNcaeNbhL4Lra9-1731708674547.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I love coming here, I love Bologna'
- 01:01
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/14/Cduy8Ltsf97CbgwlSSjyFV44xIocLYdS-1731628385698.jpg]()
Elie Okobo: 'It’s time to start a winning streak'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/HvSCwENkNT4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz–AS Monaco | RS Round 10 highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/AvLmSc__1do/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:49
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/12/ZPlSipE5D2LpnJnXq2gU7MO9Q8o9IG3g-1731450630561.jpg]()
Ergin Ataman: 'We improved 200%'
- 00:21
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cfd3ccea-68bb-46bb-87ba-278a5a10567c.jpg?crop=1214%3A682%3Anowe%3A106%3A22]()
Big two-handed dunk by Lessort! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a817d40c-c414-4a9c-b9d7-dd7f34dbf908.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade| RS Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/358db529-d28b-4d72-aacf-51eb16816819.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A135%3A62]()
A huge slam-dunk by Yurtseven! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:22
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/08/NGPFhCK0EvuSAPYef2bc1VFRAcjMxsrQ-1731105226244.jpg]()
Nunn to Yurtseven alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/VqglhccWNHE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a5a0625c-abd1-4b16-9a12-48aa0677bfe5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A133%3A40]()
Grant to Lessort alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:26
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/08/0YFuI3IMBBGZiqRbhyKp5tqkBtMMJmoy-1731096181905.jpg]()
Georgios Papagiannis: 'It was a team effort'
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e754a79c-ffeb-483a-8b61-341eb4fd8b93.jpg?crop=742%3A417%3Anowe%3A131%3A136]()
Juancho denies Wright at the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5162b243-df0d-4adf-9aee-58c318e8f6a1.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-AS Monaco | RS Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b6ba7a2b-4cb6-48da-b044-e4d59616fd8a.jpg?crop=762%3A428%3Anowe%3A185%3A83]()
Juancho goes from defense to offense! Motorola Magic Moment
“This is one of the biggest strengths of this team,” said Spanoulis. “Big athleticism, great hands, deflections, and very fast [players] to make easy points in fastbreak. We have great hustle players, role players, guys with huge motivation who are hungry for success. So we have to bring it together, that’s all.”
The Monaco players also gained an early snapshot, however, that their new boss will not be shy to let them know if he feels their effort levels are dropping. During a timeout towards the end of the first half, Spanoulis veered away from making strategic adjustments to deliver a more basic message, rising to his feet as he yelled: “We’ve f****** got to play better defense!”
Fluidity, fire…and finally, finishing.
Spanoulis is possibly the most clutch performer European basketball has ever seen, time after time using the last seconds of close contests to dig deep and find extra reserves of energy and quality.
And now his Monaco players are already doing the same.
Friday’s game at Panathinaikos featured 25 lead changes, and the outcome was very much in the balance heading into the final 2 minutes with the Greens leading 84-81. But then Monaco took over, with Vitto Brown and Alpha Diallo netting tough inside baskets before Jordan Loyd added a (Spanoulis style?) clutch three-pointer and followed up with 2 free throws to seal the deal, with Monaco ‘winning’ the final 2 minutes 4-10.
So, in summary, Monaco shared the ball brilliantly, played with great intensity and knew how to close the deal in crunch time. Fluidity, fire and finishing. Does that remind you of anyone…?
Welcome back to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Vassilis Spanoulis.