The 'claretian' entity officially announced this Wednesday the arrival of Néstor 'Che' García, who replaces Slovenian Jaka Lakovic. The 61-year-old Argentine coach will lead his first game against Baskonia, with the priority of securing the team's league permanence.

Born in Bahía Blanca, García is a strategist with extensive experience in Latin American basketball, both at club and national team levels. He has led teams such as Peñarol de Mar del Plata and San Lorenzo in Argentina, Trotamundos Carabobo and Marinos de Anzoátegui in Venezuela, and Club Biguá de Villa Biarritz in Uruguay, accumulating multiple national and international titles.

His international experience includes coaching the national teams of Venezuela, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. With Venezuela, he won the FIBA South American Championship in 2014 and 2016, in addition to the AmeriCup 2015, which earned them qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He also qualified the Dominican Republic for two World Cups, in 2019 and 2023.

In Spain, García is remembered for his tenure with Montakit Fuenlabrada in 2017, where he achieved the club's best historical start in the ACB, qualifying them for the 2018 Copa del Rey, which was held precisely in Gran Canaria. His 17-17 record that season remains the entity's second-best performance in the top national competition.

Given the current sporting situation of Gran Canaria, the board has opted for a coach who will prioritize motivational aspects and simplify tactical discourse, leveraging his experience in similar situations. Néstor García is expected to arrive on the island this Thursday and be officially presented on Friday at the Gran Canaria Arena. In the meantime, Víctor García will be in charge of training sessions.