John Shurna calls Gran Canaria home for many reasons, on and off the court. Euroleague.net's Javier Gancedo talked to him about life in the Canary Islands and much more
John Shurna and Gran Canaria: A match made in heaven
Interviews
12 Mins read
Gran Canaria is a dream destination of a lot of people. A lot of people from Northern Europe choose to retire in the Canary Islands due to its unbeatable combination of great weather, beautiful beaches and friendly people. Almost 900,000 people live in Gran Canaria and thousands of tourists go every year whether it is to windsurf, enjoy its great weather, especially in winter months, or just disconnect from their daily duties.
The island is home to Dreamland Gran Canaria, the 2022-23 BKT EuroCup champions. Founded back in 1963, there is no time like the present for the club, which is playing its second EuroCup Finals in three years and previously reached this stage in 2015.
Back in 2023, power forward John Shurna was chosen as the EuroCup Finals MVP after leading Gran Canaria past Turk Telekom Ankara to complete the club's most memorable night in its history. Shurna is in his sixth season with Gran Canaria, but before that he played for six different clubs in seven years. It was meant to be: a laid-back, really talented player finding his place in the European basketball ecosystem, playing for the perfect team in the perfect spot.
"I wouldn't have predicted this, coming from Chicago to living off the coast of Africa for and playing for Gran Canaria for such a long time. No, I would not have predicted this," Shurna says in an exclusive in-depth interview with Euroleague.net's Javier Gancedo.
Born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Shurna started to play basketball when the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA in the 1990s. He opted to join Northwestern University due to his high academic standards and ended up being its all-time top scorer. In 2009, he won the U19 World Cup with the USA in Auckland, New Zealand. That gave him the confidence to try to turn basketball into his professional career. Shurna never made it to the NBA, being cut by the New York Knicks, and after playing in France, Spain, Croatia, Turkiye and Andorra, he found a home in Gran Canaria.
"I am grateful for every stop in my career," he says. "I have been fortunate to have played with an amazing group of players and also coaches. I played for a lot of amazing coaches who I got to learn from, and a lot of great memories with players, coaches, and fans from all the different clubs I played for.
"It is great to be able to stay in a place like Gran Canaria, and we have been fortunate to keep a lot of the core here as well. I made a lot of lifelong friendships and even just relationships with the fans and the people working for the club. It makes me hold a more special place in my heart for Gran Canaria and to represent the club and the island overall."
There are many things that keep Shurna happy in Gran Canaria. Let's start with all the basketball-related stuff.
Gran Canaria has been able to keep a core of players together who have developed into best friends. After so many years together, Miquel Salvo, Andrew Albicy and Nico Brussino know where Shurna will be without having to ask. Shurna and Albicy have played together for seven seasons – two at Andorra and the last five at Gran Canaria. They get to teach new players what it means to be a member of this club, where to go, how to behave and how to be successful.
"With Miqui [Miquel Salvo], Nico [Brussino], Andrew [Albicy] and myself being here for so long, I think Gran Canaria does mean a lot to us," Shurna says. "And I think it's been we want to continue to have the club go in the right direction. Credit to our management and our coaching staff, as in a place like Gran Canaria, there are a lot of changes roster wise each year, mainly for guys who have earned better opportunities, whether it be financially or basketball wise to go to other teams.
"There's a lot of turnover each year, and I think the club has done a great job finding different pieces. Also, credit to Jaka [Lakovic] and the coaching staff for having to adjust each year and putting our team in the right situations to succeed, as the team is different every year. I think we try our best to welcome everyone with open arms to try for them to succeed individually and as a team."
Off the court, Gran Canaria has everything Shurna, his wife Mallory and their sons Jake and Miles can wish for. Long trips are the only issue for any player at Gran Canaria but Mallory steps up each and every time, up to the point that John calls her a superwoman.
"Without my wife, I don't know where I would be," he admits. "The great thing about Gran Canaria is you live on a beautiful island. The difficult part is that travels are long. She is definitely the backbone of our family. It is a bit chaotic but she is superwoman. I'm grateful to have such a great partner, wife, mother like her, that is so supportive of me chasing my goals and doing everything she does for our family.
"As for my kids, we have family back in Chicago so when they spend time with their grandparents in the summer, they enjoy all the extra attention they get and the treats from the grandparents and things like this. So I think they enjoy their time in Chicago, but they also have friends here. They really enjoy life in Gran Canaria as well. My oldest son even speaks Spanish with a canary accent! We definitely love Gran Canaria, and we have been extremely happy here."
People in Gran Canaria love Shurna and his family back, too. He has a great relationship with fans that led to some awkward situations. After renewing his contract, the club posted a picture with him looking like a saint, calling him Padre John (Father John), Protector of Impossible Shots and Low Post Game. He played along with the joke, of course.
"I don't have social media so I really don't have an opinion on it, but I don't view it as a negative," he says. "If it makes fans happy. I'm happy to go with it. If it brings a smile to our fans' faces, being called something like that, I'm OK with it.
"I love our fans and the relationship I have with them. I am always grateful for anyone to pay money to come watch us play. I try to do my best to give my best each night: whether making shots or missing shots, you can always give your best effort and also try to be the best representative I can of the island.
"Even when not on the court, it's fun seeing fans outside, whether it be walking around [local beach] Las Canteras or going to schools, or in the grocery store... Like I said, I am grateful for everyone that supports our team and willing to come support us."
After six years in Gran Canaria, Shurna does not hesitate to call Gran Canaria home. Jake and Miles have grown up on the island, John has been more successful at Gran Canaria than anywhere else in his career, and walking around the city is still special for the Shurnas after so much time living there.
"First off, it's beautiful. Anytime you get to wake up and you can see the sun, palm trees and the beach... It's a beautiful island," he continues. "In the city, each neighborhood has its own personality. And the people have welcomed us with open arms and been friendly. We have made a lot of great friends and relationships here, so it's a place my family and I have been calling home for a while now. My kids have spent more time here than anywhere else in the world. It's a place that we hold special in our hearts."
At this point, Shurna could even work as a tour guide as he knows the island inside out. He has done his best to drive around and know every inch of the island, enjoying its diversity, from mountains to beaches to natural pools and everything in the middle. Shurna has found out that Gran Canaria is much more than just a beautiful island with great beaches, and that it is its great people what actually makes the difference.
"I think you would have to start with Las Canteras, just walking along that area, it's beautiful. This is the one place that when I go walking down there, I kind of always just kind of say, 'Wow, it's amazing I get to live here'," he says. "Walking along the boardwalk, seeing the beach, seeing the water typically sunny... so just walking along there, I think, is something that always brings a smile to my face. Also, Triana and Vegueta are fun areas to walk around. It is the older part of town where there are parks and kids can play and a lot of nice restaurants.
"And then outside of Las Palmas, obviously the south of the island is beautiful and even more sunny, a bit warmer than the northern part of the island. You can find some beautiful beaches there. You can also head to the center, Roque Nublo, if you are looking for mountains. And then if you're going to the northwest, you can go to Agaete, which is beautiful, and go for hikes and natural pools in that area. And further in the island, you can go to Teror, too. There is a great Sunday market where you can find every other stand with its trademark chorizo.
"I love Gran Canaria because there is a little bit of something for everyone and typically great weather, sunshine and great people. We have been fortunate to call it home. So I have plenty of recommendations, it just depends on who the person is and your personality and what you like!"
Being away from social media has allowed Shurna to live a really quiet life in Gran Canaria. Little is known about him off the court, but there is one hobby he has shared online: he really loves the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge. He accepted an invitation to come on the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast and come back on several times. Shurna is not doing bad, ranking 3,296th of over 540,000 teams in the standings. It is also a fun way to stay connected to former teammates, so it is a win-win situation.
"I am a big fan of the EuroLeague and follow it, and the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge has been a fun way to keep in touch with other teammates like Sam Van Rossom and the Colom brothers [Quino and Guille]," he admits. "I don't play the EuroCup Fantasy Challenge. When it comes to games I am playing in, I am focused on doing what I can to help the team, and I don't want any alternative. I want to make sure I'm focused on the game.
"I think just after being here for so many years, building relationships with a lot of different players and coaches, and just being a huge basketball fan, it is something I enjoy, watching the EuroLeague each week and following my fantasy team. The Fantasy Challenge is a fun way to keep in touch with teammates, and I enjoy it a lot."
In the end, Shurna may end up doing what a lot of people do in Gran Canaria: calling it home for good and live on the island after his playing days. But first, his main goal is to bring another EuroCup title to the club and to keep playing for Gran Canaria for as long as he can.
"My body still feels good, so I hope I can play for a lot longer, and I would love for it to be in Gran Canaria," he says. "But yes, that's definitely something my wife and I talk about. We will see what happens down the road. It's a beautiful place that my family and I really, really love."