It's a tall order for a British basketball player to make it in America's NBA but for 6'11'' Joel Freeland, Gran Canaria is proving to be the ideal stage to boost his dream. The 21 year old Great Britain forward is wowing the crowds for kalise Gran Canaria, the surprise pace setters in the Spanish ACB league this season. The Las Palmas based team are at the top of the table ahead of big sporting clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona, and Joel's progress is being closely monitored by his American NBA team Portland Trail Blazers. Joel was born in Farnham and made his name with Solent Stars, then in February 2006 he was drafted by Portland and loaned out to Gran Canaria to gain experience. Basketball is very popular in Gran Canaria with Kalise attracting several thousand fans to their home games at the Vega de San Jose stadium. Next summer Joel will be lining up against Spain when he competes for GB in the European Championship Finals in Poland, then he hopes to join Portland to play on the biggest stage of all. Before then he intends to help Gran Canaria take the ACB title to send the island faithful wild. Basketball is just one of the sporting attractions in Gran Canaria, as a player or spectator. Sea sports dominate the coastline from fishing to racing and water skiing, but on dry land golf is a big draw to investors looking to start a new life in the sun. Professional sport enjoys great support in Gran Canaria with several highly placed football teams, topped by UD Las Palmas who play in the Spanish Second Division. No matter how active or restful you want to be, Gran Canaria has all the answers, and in a climate that lends itself to a healthy lifestyle. By Cardenas News
