MEMPHIS (USA) - Deja vu. We've seen this before, players that spend all summer with national teams and return to their NBA clubs better.
Their games suddenly go to new heights.
Santi Aldama wasted no time in showing that he made the most of his time with Spain in 2024, when he helped them win the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia and then competed at the Olympics in France. Aldama went up against the best players in the world, and he worked on his game all the while, in training.
Aldama, 23, hit the ground running on Wednesday night in his first game of the new NBA season, pouring in 27 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the floor, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 assists as the Grizzlies prevailed over Utah, 126-124.
"I want to build off this summer," he said after the Memphis victory. "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.
"If I do that, I will put myself in a position to succeed and more importantly, put the team in a position to succeed."
It's just one game, yet it was important to not just play well but to win.
At the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament in France, Aldama led Spain with averages of 17.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. Despite not advancing to the Quarter-Finals, Aldama expressed a lot of pride and satisfaction after representing his country.
Memphis have other international basketball connections, too.
The early signs were good for Canada center Zach Edey in his first regular season game with the Grizz. The giant center, who represented his country at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023 and helped it to a third-place finish, logged 15 minutes against the Jazz and had 5 points and 5 rebounds.
Yuki Kawamura, the Japan national team point guard who signed a two-way deal with Memphis, has yet to play in his first NBA game.
FIBA