SA Olympian Brad Newley has extended his European basketball contract with CB Gran Canaria Brad Newley is pumped after nailing a basket for Gran Canaria in Spain. THE prospect of dual-Olympic basketballer Brad Newley running down a wing for the Adelaide 36ers has long excited fans of the NBL outfit in his hometown. Once again, he would slot seamlessly into Joey Wright's new-look team, except for the fact the 199cm swingman has re-signed with CB Gran Canaria in the fierce Spanish league. ``It was awesome," he said of his first season with the team from the Canary Islands. ``I had the best year I've had in about four or five years. ``They hadn't made the play-offs before and this year we made the semi finals of the Spanish league where we lost to Joe's team in three games. Newley dunks the ball. "Joe's team" of course, is FC Barcelona, one of the powerhouses of Spain and the Euroleague, Joe being fellow South Australian Olympian and former Pasadena High School mate Joe Ingles. Barcelona lost the final in five games to Spain's other powerhouse, Real Madrid. It was the second year in succession Newley's team had been eliminated by Barcelona in the semi finals, though in 2012 he was with more highly-fancied Valencia. For Gran Canaria to be in among the ``big boys" was a huge achievement and one Newley, 28, wants to build on. ``The Spanish league is a great league," he said. ``I wish I went there when I was younger. Newley charges the basket for two points. ``Obviously Euroleague is the best league and the best competition outside the NBA. ``But the Spanish league is as good as the Euro Cup. ``We have a full house at every game and the fans are awesome. ``You walk around and get recognised and mobbed - it's a terrific experience. Newley, one of the ``36ers who got away" - Ingles was another one - when he was signed by Townsville Crocodiles out of the Australian Institute of Sport, has compiled an amazing resume. The Forestville Eagles junior's first NBL season in 2004-05 yielded Rookie of the Year, Best Sixth Man and the MVP of the annual All Star game. While Crocs' fans celebrated their find, 36ers supporters gnashed their teeth. In his third season, he led Townsville back to the play-offs, then as a free agent, finally signed to play NBL with Adelaide. Before he ever played a game for the Sixers, Newley was selected at pick No. 54 by the Houston Rockets in the 2007 NBA Draft, heading for the summer pro league and then on to Europe. Originally with Panionios in the Greek league, Newley announced his arrival against A.E.K. in only his fourth game, scoring 32 points on a perfect 12-of-12 shooting, including a record 8-of-8 three-pointers. The following year he was at Panellinios in Greece, before a season in Turkey with famed Besiktas. He then spent a year in Lithuania with Euroleague regular Lietuvos Rytas. Valencia followed, and now Gran Canaria, the boy from Lower Mitcham quietly learning Spanish and loving his experience. ``I think when you play in Europe, you have to adjust to every aspect of life there," he said. ``You need to immerse yourself in it so yeah, I can speak and understand some Spanish now, as long as my teammates are speaking slowly. Newley last week watched the NBA Draft on television and admitted to some feelings of melancholy. ``You never know what the future may hold," he said. ``We still exchange emails with Houston and they watch some of my games. ``Sometimes I sit and think about it (the NBA) and if it happens, it happens. ``But if it doesn't, that's OK too because I really enjoy what I'm doing. ``I've been in Europe for six years. I've never been fired and I love it where I am. ``The Canary Islands is a bit like playing for Perth - it's two-and-a-half hours to Madrid and three to Barcelona. ``Last year I was on the beach on Christmas Day. ``You don't get to do that much in Europe. Newley said ``taking it easy" at home and not preparing for (NBA) summer league was different. ``Out of the six years I've been in Europe, a lot of the time I've been preparing for that (in the off-season)," he said. Newley won't just be relaxing though, the Boomers set to play New Zealand in two Oceania Series matches in August as part of the build-up to next year's world championship. New national coach Andrej Lemanis was an assistant coach at Townsville when Newley first was cutting his NBL teeth and they also have some AIS history during Lemanis' work as a satellite coach. ``Andrej and I have had a couple of conversations and it (the Boomers) will be fairly light this year," Newley said. ``I think we need that too because the next three years will be pretty hectic. ``The core group of guys will get together (for a camp this month) and then in August we'll have the games with New Zealand. Newley is set for busy times ahead. Sadly for Adelaide, wearing a 36ers singlet won't be in that busy schedule. Just never say never.