Néstor 'Che' García, former coach of CB Gran Canaria and current head coach of the Dominican Republic national team, has reflected on his time with the Canary Islands club. García admitted he took on the role of "savior" upon arriving at a team he described as "broken," with the hope of securing their place in the ACB league.
The Argentine coach confessed he accepted the offer without anticipating the team's situation but focused on "instilling my style." Despite the challenges, he asserted that "since my arrival, there was not a single crack in the team," and they came close to defeating strong opponents like Baskonia and Barcelona. García deeply regretted not achieving the survival goal, feeling that the outcome "was written" and that "some things are beyond one's control," which he considers the most significant lesson from his time on the island.
García also addressed statements made by president Sitapha Savané regarding certain players. The coach defended the attitude of Andrew Albicy and Mike Tobey, stating that while the president might have expected more from them, "with me, I felt they gave me what they had to give." Regarding the requested reinforcements, such as Brandon Jefferson and Ondrej Balvin, he explained that the squad was like a "short blanket," and despite efforts, some players were unwilling to take on the challenge or were lost due to injuries.
The Dominican national team coach expressed his gratitude towards the island, the players, the president, and his coaching staff, calling the treatment he received "incredible." Despite the pain of not saving the team from relegation, García leaves with a valuable lesson about the limits of individual control versus "decisions of the universe."
