Gran Canaria has clinched a spot in the EuroLeague next season as EuroCup champion, but it is unclear if they will eventually play in the competition.
The head coach of the Spanish club, Jaka Lakovic, addressed this situation, citing travel distance as one of the biggest issues the club is dealing with.
“As a competitor, I always want to play in the best competitions. The important thing now is what the club decides. I know that they are weighing all the options to offer the team the optimal conditions to be able to compete in a league like the EuroLeague.
“This year we have already traveled more than 121,000 kilometers, and we must keep that in mind. You have to think about the players and the club. We will do everything possible,” Jaka Lakovic said after the club’s elimination from the ACB playoffs.
Despite locating thousand of kilometers away from mainland Spain, Gran Canaria don’t travel with charter planes. Instead, they use regular airlines for travel to and from the games.
If Gran Canaria withdraws its participation, its spot will be covered either by EuroCup runners-up Turk Telekom or another EuroLeague club with no guaranteed place, via a wild card.
