Santi Aldama: ‘Draymond Green told me I got his respect’

He suffered in the summer, enjoy now.take a seat memphis grizzlies In his second year in the NBA, after giving up selection for better preparation, Santi Aldama (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 01-10-2001) Only made them famous. And as a step to a higher level, Bobby Portis “Trash Talk” with draymond green The first Spanish player to come out of American college basketball even earned star respect almost five years ago. united states of america Almost 22:00.

Of course, the sweet canary accent is still in effect. “It will never be lost!” Santi warns with a smile. “Like all the wrinkled ‘potatoes’ when I come back, they don’t know how to do them here,” jokes the power forward, 9.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 Adds 47.5% shot rate from blocks and fields. 38% in triples this season.

What a leap he’s made this season after a difficult first year as a “rookie.” how do you feel?

I feel more comfortable with the team and the game as a whole with each game, but it is also true that the season started very well for us as a team. After all, the season is long, and you’re trying to handle those bumps and all that.

“Putting on the weight was so hard. It’s a big sacrifice. You can’t ignore yourself all the time.”

He started as a starter, but has adapted, coming off the bench and continuing to contribute even with the return of Jaren Jackson Jr.

Yes my role is changing. At first I was the starting five and Jalen came back, but it’s all adaptation and with these guys and this very cohesive team that has a lot of chemistry, different roles and games. easily adaptable to the situation of .. depending on how the team plays, how others play, play one way or the other… (technical) staff are also very helpful. times.

What a duel he had with Draymond Greene on Christmas Day! He first laid down a block, then began shouting and applauding for being called his foul on attacking play with him. That’s what “stung” his pride.

(Laughter) He’s a very talkative player, but in the end he got four rings, which is very important. He played with a lot of energy and knew he was coming in. He started talking to me and we stung a little bit but after the game he showed me respect. A good friend.

Somehow he told me I earned his respect. He told me: “I’m glad, whoever it is, never stop fighting.” The goal is to

Green isn’t the first to “suffer” from his qualities. Last year he already had a stopper on James Harden, and this season he’s already had some stoppers on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Of course they like it. They are great players I grew up with and I watch a lot of videos and their moves. I’m trying to research what they are trying to do. We are preparing to understand the tendency of each player.

This summer, he dropped his varsity deal to prepare for his second season in the NBA. What has changed so much over the summer to offer this level this year?

It’s a bit of a physical change, getting stronger, working on different aspects of the game like lateral movement and shooting, and gaining confidence. Prepare for the season.

‘Ja Morant is one step ahead of everyone else’

He’s gained a lot of muscle mass since coming into the league as a slightly bulkier player. Was the change very difficult?

I’ve put on about 18 pounds since coming to the NBA. Of which he gained 4 pounds last summer. It’s a lot of sacrifice and a lot of change, and you have to be constantly aware of your food and meal times, it’s not something you can forget, you have to do it every day. It’s hard at first, but it gets easier once you get used to it.

You’ve become an important figure, but do you have any perspective on what a player could be in the NBA?

A little bit of what I’ve done in my life so far, 2 odds, can play outside and inside, permeated and passed my vision of the game, which I think I can continue to develop. is possible, and if they triple-defend me, I can break in, find an open partner, or finish on my own, which is the best decision I can make.

I made a comment to Guile Alvarez in an interview with us earlier in the season that the coach asked him to shoot three-pointers, grab rebounds and be very physical on defense above all else. Ever wanted more inside?

yes and no. We are all on the same line ready to defend, activate, switch, shoot, take shots, run, run on attack and make the right decisions.

He is still very young, turning 22 this January. What are you currently working on to improve?

Look for the shots you’re trying to get in the game on both the system, defense, 1v1 and help sides and try to get more blocks. That’s my current focus in development.

Is making it through last year’s conference semifinals your goal? One of these Grizzlies’ standout ‘weaknesses’ is their inexperience. Apart from the injured Danny Green, Stephen Adams is the oldest at 29.

They played in the playoffs the year before I arrived and lost to the Warriors last year. Ultimately, the Warriors became champions and gained a lot of experience. We are a young team, but we have young players who have been in the NBA for a long time. Steven Adams he’s 29 but he’s 10, Tyus Jones he’s 26 and he’s 7. I don’t have the experience of other teams, but we are winning and our philosophy of pushing forward day by day and competing with ourselves helps us grow faster. What is there is to go further. You have to improve every day. This will allow you to advance to Round 1, Round 2 and beyond.

Aside from their on-court behavior, the Memphis Grizzlies are also known for their energetic pregame dances. But you don’t dance much and you seem shy.

Dancing is not my hobby, so maybe there will be some movement at the end of the season (laughs). But now, just looking at it makes me “disappointed” (laughs). It has grown and the worst thing is when we start we add something new every day and then it gets longer and longer with more dancing and more singing (laughs). That’s the culture we have here.

What was it like playing with Ja Morant and spending time with him?

He’s a superstar who will be MVP one day and it’s fun to play with him. He has a brutal scoring ability, he’s very athletic and when he’s not defining he finds a teammate to play with. He’s a very young leader, but he doesn’t look that young. He’s an intelligent man, well researched on global trends and one step ahead of everyone else.

If he improves by 3 rotations (32.7%), it’s already perfect and even more devastating.

He’s been improving them and will continue to do so, but he’s been shooting good percentages and every time the team goes under with a “pick and roll,” he shoots and tacks. Other teams see it, but in training[protecting him]is also difficult for us.

Before mentioning selection. Do you have plans to go this summer or next summer?

I hope so because it has always been my dream.

How would you rate the role of the rest of the Spaniards in the NBA this season?

As always, when we get out on the court and given the opportunity, we don’t just follow, we contribute. It sums up what Spanish basketball is. We are players who always want to win and it is always a pleasure to play against someone. , I love talking to them.

His uncle and father, Santi Aldama, was also a professional player and played for the national team at the 1992 Barcelona Games. How is your relationship with him when it comes to basketball?

He was with me at the beginning of December. We always talk a lot about basketball. It’s a source of pride for him, and it’s a lifelong dream of mine to be as dedicated to basketball as he is.