The recent relegation of CB Gran Canaria, despite having one of the highest budgets in the ACB, has cast doubt on Willy Villar's performance as sports director. His position is reportedly uncertain after three previous seasons he described as a "golden triennium," during which the club achieved successes like a Eurocup title and runner-up finish, along with several qualifications for the Copa del Rey and league playoffs.
The current season marked a turning point. The decision to switch from the Eurocup to the Basketball Champions League, while aiming to improve revenue and player rest, necessitated having five homegrown players (cupos) instead of four. The difficulty in finding quality players for these roles, coupled with Carlos Alocén's injury, compromised the squad from the outset. The situation was exacerbated by Jaka Lakovic's rotation management, as he typically used only ten players, forcing the promotion of young talents like Lucas Maniema and Eetu Heinonen to meet regulations, which in turn left professional players out of the game day squads.
The departure of John Shurna and his replacement by Louis Labeyrie generated controversy. Labeyrie failed to integrate into the locker room or Lakovic's system. The renewal of key players, including Andrew Albicy and Mike Tobey, also did not meet expectations. Contrary to the goal of a more physical and faster team, the squad became the slowest and lowest-scoring in the ACB.
Facing a lack of points and results, and with Miquel Salvó injured, Villar opted for a controversial change: releasing Braian Angola to sign Kassius Robertson. Angola later proved his worth in the Euroleague with Asvel, while Robertson offered inconsistent performance. The signing of Chimezie Metu after his Achilles injury did prove beneficial, particularly for the team's offense in the latter part of the season, following the coaching change.
Jaka Lakovic's continued tenure as head coach, despite poor results and a loss of connection with the players, was one of the most criticized aspects. Fans called for his dismissal, but Villar clung to past successes to justify keeping him. The late replacement of Lakovic with Néstor Che García revitalized the team, highlighting the performances of Isaiah Wong and Nico Brussino, but it was not enough to avoid the triple tie that led to relegation.
The signing of Brandon Jefferson at point guard, instead of a player who could provide more scoring and fluidity, was also questioned. This decision forced Kur Kuath out of the rotation, leaving the team with only one natural center, Mike Tobey, who also recorded his worst career statistics. The alleged lack of available community centers in the market contrasted with signings made by other teams like Zaragoza, Joventut, and Girona. The temporary signing and subsequent release of Ondrej Balvin further fueled doubts about the sports management.
The urban legend attributing relegation responsibility to Villar for Zaragoza or Estudiantes is refuted. At the Zaragoza club, he achieved promotion in the 2012-13 season. At Estudiantes, he arrived after their previous relegation, but the team was readmitted. During the pandemic, the Madrid team was last, but relegation was not confirmed until May 2021, by which time Villar had already joined CB Gran Canaria.
