Santi Aldama: "There is nothing bigger than represeting my country"

MEMPHIS (United States) - Spain have just about completed a generation change with their national team and one of the future leaders is Santi Aldama with the small forward two years into his senior team career. A couple months after experiencing his first Olympics at Paris 2024, the Memphis Grizzlies star is already looking ahead to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Aldama led Spain in scoring with 17.7 points per game as well as rebounds with 9.3 boards a contest at the Paris Games while also picking up 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks as Spain slumped to 1-2 and missed out on the knockout stage.

"It was a great experience representing my country. There is nothing bigger than that," said Aldama, who collected 27 points with 6 three-pointers in the opening game against Australia as well as 19 points and 12 rebounds versus Greece.

"Now that that first experience is over, I'm really looking forward to the next one. LA 2028, that's our goal. I need to get a gold medal," Aldama said at the Memphis Grizzlies media day. "I think that is our goal. That would be one of my biggest dreams come true."

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The 23-year-old was a big reason why Spain reached the Olympics after hosting and winning the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024. Aldama collected 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 blocks and received the Most Valuable Player award.

This summer was Aldama's second playing for the Spanish senior team, making his debut at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. He tallied 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in Asia, where Spain stumbled to third place after the Second Round to fail to qualify for the Knockout stage.

Aldama said he is coming back to the Grizzlies for the 2024-25 season in a good frame of mind thanks to his strong showing with the Spanish national team.

"I want to build off this summer. I feel like I was being extra aggressive in the right way - being aggressive offensively and defensively - but in the context of making the team win. That is where my focus is at. Just improving that and getting my confidence at an all-time high," he said. "If I do that I will put myself in a position to succeed and more importantly but the team in a position to succeed."

Playing at the highest level is nothing new for the Aldama name. Santi's father Santiago Aldama played for the Spanish national team 23 teams including at the 1992 Olympics, where he faced off in the final group game against the famed United States Dream Team.

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Santi Aldama also helped Spain win the title at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2019, where he averaged 18 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 steals in taking home the MVP award.

But Aldama and Spain have a big tournament coming up next summer at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025. La Familia slumped to a 0-2 record in the first window of qualifying. The small forward will hope the rest of the team can bounce back in the remaining windows so he can help Spain defend the title from 2022.

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