{"id":237377,"date":"2021-12-20T17:02:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T22:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nothingbutnylon.com\/?p=237377"},"modified":"2021-12-20T17:02:33","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T22:02:33","slug":"spaniards-in-the-nba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nothingbutnylon.com\/spaniards-in-the-nba\/","title":{"rendered":"Spaniards in the NBA: Iberian Ballers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you think of the countries that have grown to become real basketball hubs outside of the United States<\/a>, you can’t escape Spain. Spaniards have made tons of noise in hoops over the last several years, and a good handful of them have bought their talents across the Atlantic to the NBA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spain is one of the best countries in the world at churning out basketball talent<\/a>, and a lot of it stays at home to play in Liga ACB, the best domestic pro basketball league in the world outside of the NBA. There have been several crossovers into the NBA over the years, though, with the Gasol brothers are two of the main headliners to make the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gasol brothers are back playing in Liga ACB now and are no longer in the Association. But there are still a handful of Spaniards hooping in the NBA this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spaniards in the NBA, 2021-22<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Santi Aldama<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hometown:<\/strong> Las Palmas, Spain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prep\/University:<\/strong> Loyola-Maryland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drafted:<\/strong> 2021 \/ Round: 1 \/ Pick: 30th overall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Team:<\/strong> Memphis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santi Aldama grew up in a basketball playing household, following in his father’s footsteps representing their country with the Spanish National Team. He attended Loyola, where he was a First Team All-Patriot League player in 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aldama entered the 2021 NBA Draft and was selected No. 30 overall by the Utah Jazz, but his rights were later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He\u2019s currently receiving fewer than 10 minutes per game off of the bench for Memphis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Santi Aldama goes in the first round of the @NBA<\/a> Draft to the @utahjazz<\/a>! Congrats, @santialdama<\/a>!@LoyolaMBB<\/a> | @CoachTHardy<\/a> | @PatriotLeague<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WEBIFXHO9p<\/a><\/p>— Patriot League on ESPN (@PatriotLeagueTV) July 30, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>