Who Is Santi Aldama? Explore the Career of 23YO NBA Star Who Antagonized Giannis Antetokounmpo in Paris Olympics

Greece and Spain fought valiantly against each other in hopes of keeping their Olympic dreams alive. Eventually, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s burgeoning burst didn’t prove enough. The basketball heritage of Spain prevailed through the toughness and undeterred heart of the Greek players. But it all wouldn’t have been possible without the brilliance of Spain’s next big ‘Bull’, Santi Aldama.

Where Antetokounmpo was slashing past Spain’s defense, Aldama crushed Greece with his three-point shooting. The 23-year-old scored 19 points while grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds while also being the prime shot blocker for Spain. The Spain forward even challenged the Greek Freak, drawing him into an offensive foul once.

The Lillie crowd wasn’t pleased with Aldama’s antics as boos echoed throughout the arena after the incident. Aldama’s game-turning performance included a crucial put-back dunk in the clutch that spearheaded Spain to their first win in this Olympic campaign.

But what many don’t know is basketball runs deep within Santi Aldama. So let’s explore the life and achievements of this budding basketball phantom.

Who is Santi Aldama?

Early Life

Born on January 10, 2001, in Las Palmas, Spain, Aldama practically grew with a ball in his hand. His father, Santiago Aldama Aleson, played professional basketball across Spain and Italy. The senior Aldama’s career highlight was gracing the Olympics in 1992, and even battling against the revered ‘Dream Team’, containing the likes of NBA greats like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Not a lot is known about his mother Maria Isabel Toledo Jimenez.

Aldama’s uncle too played professional basketball internationally. Under such a moving influence, Santi Aldama gravitated toward the sport for the first time at the age of three. Since then, the ball hasn’t left his hands. His basketball origins stay in Europe, but Aldama attended the Loyola College in Baltimore where he played two seasons of college basketball.

As a sophomore, the 6’11” power forward averaged 21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds for the Greyhounds. The floor stretching and shooting prowess at his size was rare to find, and it made him a force. Earning 2021 Patriot League All-Tournament Team honors, Aldama was seen as a promising prospect heading into the 2021 NBA draft.

Spain and NBA career

Before being drafted in 2021, Santi Aldama featured in the 2019 U19 FIBA European Championships, which was ironically held in Greece. Aldama had assembled a tantalizing resume before the draft, which saw him drafted 30th overall by the Utah Jazz. However, he was traded on draft night itself to the Memphis Grizzlies where he has now played for three seasons. Collectively, he has averaged 8.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in his three-year NBA career.

For the Grizzlies, Aldama primarily attends as a bench forward, playing limited minutes and focusing on spreading the floor and snatching boards for Memphis. But for Spain, the lanky forward assumes the role of an anchor. At the ripe age of 23, he led the Spanish rally to the Olympics, claiming MVP honors at the Olympic Qualifiers by averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Now, in his debut Olympics, Santi Aldama has put the basketball world on notice. In Spain’s first loss to Australia, he accounted for 24 points to go with 5 rebounds. The six threes he made is the highest mark achieved by a Spanish player in a game. Today, he helped keep their Olympic aspirations alive by playing subliminal basketball in his maiden appearance at the coveted competition.

While still young in his career and a raw talent, Santi Aldama has the mentality of a seasoned campaigner. He has made winning plays consistently for Spain, and after the Olympics, the Grizzlies will probably upgrade his role within the rotations too. As the next rising star for the Bulls, Aldama’s potential is beyond the charts. It’s up to the towering forward to honor the colossal expectations set on him.

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