LILLE (France) - Santi Aldama's time is now, and what a 2024 summer it has been for Spain's next young star.
The 23-year-old scored a team-high 19 points in Spain's 84-77 victory over Greece for their first win at Paris 2024 and keep their chances alive for the Quarter-Finals. Aldama also grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds to go with 2 assists and 3 blocks.
That came after the Memphis Grizzlies big man collected 27 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in Spain's opening loss to Australia.
"There's nothing bigger than representing your country, especially in the Olympics. It's an honor just for me to be here and have the opportunity to do it. But next to this group of guys, man, they are unreal. We deserve this win," Aldama said after the game.
Aldama showed a sense of fearlessness focused solely on helping his team win. He was posterized by Greece star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter, but Aldama said it's all just part of the game.
"Posters and all that stuff are tough. Especially with a guy like him. I am just trying to make the defensive play," he said.
"You can either step away or try to block the shot. You will probably block it one out of 10 times, but I tried. I got posterized but [moved on to the] next play. Because it's a high scoring game and we just have to try to find a way to score the next possession or get a stop the next possession. You can't think about the last one."
"He's our best player, and he knows it." - Dario Brizuela about Aldama
Spain would not even be in Paris were it not for Aldama. He scored 17.0 points to go with 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game as Spain fought through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 Spain to book their ticket to the Olympics. That production resulted in Aldama winning the TISSOT MVP award in Valencia.
After 2 games in Lille, he's averaging 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 4.5 three-pointers made per game. He's the perfect stretch 4, with excellent range, a quick release, and the ability to hold his own in the paint.
Already a rising star in the NBA, this summer with the National Team will, like many before him, could transform him into a different beast for the rest of his career.
Aldama's excellence is not lost on his teammtes.
"He's our best player, and he knows it. He's making a step forward this year compared to the (FIBA Basketball) World Cup last year. He's our leader now. He played an amazing game and we're happy for him," Spain guard Dario Brizuela said.
Spain hope their young big man has another strong game in him as they face a major challenge against Canada in the final contest in the group.
FIBA