From the small gyms of Monthey and Vevey to the electric atmosphere of an Olympic 3×3 final in Paris, Sebastiano De Martis has lived basketball from every angle—player, referee, and coach. What began as a childhood passion in Wallis became a lifelong compass, guiding him through the Swiss leagues and beyond.

He played for Vevey Basket and Blonay Basket until age nineteen, before discovering officiating at twelve, climbing all the way to the national level in 5×5 and later becoming a leading Swiss referee in the fast‑paced world of 3×3. Coaching followed naturally: after working with youth teams—including a young Jonathan Dubas—he took charge of Romanel-sur-Lausanne’s second team in the 3rd League, bringing intensity, analysis, and a distinctly Italian tactical culture inherited from his Sardinian and Pugliese roots.

For De Martis, tactics are intelligence: understanding opponents, reading defenses, and teaching players to see the game’s hidden details. As he observes Swiss basketball’s growth—boosted by names like Sefolosha and Capela—he believes the next step is investing again in 5×5 while nurturing the booming 3×3 scene.

His career is filled with vivid memories: the EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade, a thunderous Crvena Zvezda game, an encounter with Joakim Noah in Orlando, and that unforgettable Olympic final where he calmly watched a Dutch friend sink the winning shot.

With the poise of a referee, the intensity of a player, and the vision of a coach, Sebastiano De Martis remains anchored by a simple conviction: on the court or on the bench, the team always comes first.

By David Glaser

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