Santiago Aldama talks contract extension, new coach, and extra

Santiago Aldama: That is the best way I wish to play. I’m extra used to what I used to do again house, simply being extra myself, partaking with the teammates. So it’s been undoubtedly enjoyable. And I feel it’s solely going to maintain trending that means as I progress and get extra expertise. But it surely’s undoubtedly been a pleasant bounce to have.

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SA: I feel one half is expertise. Like me simply having years underneath the belt, having time throughout the summers to work on my recreation. I’m 24. I feel there’s going to be a gentle progress for the approaching years. The time with the Nationwide Group and taking part in a distinct position gave me confidence and simply completely different appears. So I feel simply all that put collectively and becoming it into the Grizzlies basketball has simply helped me develop into a greater participant and finally assist the workforce be taught to win.

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SA: I do know it feels bizarre having a seven-footer to play the three. However for me, it looks like I’m taking part in in place. I grew up being a degree guard, and most of my life I truly performed the 2, three, 4. So it’s type of pure for me. I wish to be on the market. So name it the three to 4/5, no matter, positionless – I simply wish to be on the market. So simply making an attempt to do the most effective to slot in the workforce. And like I mentioned, the workforce wins, and we’re all good.

SA: Having relations that performed, I bought quite a lot of perception, which was good. However I didn’t really want to play. I by no means bought to see them play. So gamers I truly bought to see play—I might say Kobe [Bryant] and Pau [Gasol] have been, you understand, the primary massive duo I watched. Pau being Spanish and Kobe being among the finest ever. However then additionally Marc [Gasol]. A number of nationwide workforce basketball gamers and humorous sufficient, Grizzlies gamers, too. After which Dirk Nowitzki. He’s simply, I don’t know, a man I’ve at all times favored—how he performed, what he was about. So I feel these three, 4 guys are in all probability my essential references in basketball. Like I mentioned, I don’t know, the sport has at all times been a part of my household and pure for me. So simply something—I feel the best recreation of basketball is one thing I get pleasure from.

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SA: Yeah, I spent a good summer season with him. He went out to Spain. Ziaire Williams was there, too. We simply spent a ton of time collectively. Like I mentioned, summers are good for disconnection, however I take it extra as simply time to work. In the course of the season, we’ve got a bunch of video games. We get particular person cross-sessions, however I really feel like throughout the summer season, you possibly can actually tune in to sure issues that you just don’t have 5 years time throughout the season. Work in your physique. And I’m fortunate sufficient to have the ability to play. So these three issues actually helped me progress yearly. And going into the summer season, taking part in with the nationwide workforce.

SA: Not essentially change the model, however little tweaks within the guidelines, tweaks in the place you discover benefits inside the recreation. So particularly my first yr with the nationwide workforce was slightly bit more durable as a result of I used to be slightly bit extra of a basketball fan. I haven’t performed European-style basketball in 4 years. However on the finish of the day, it’s simply—I see it as added expertise. I get to expertise one thing that quite a lot of my teammates don’t. And I really feel lower than fortunate in a means, but additionally simply making an attempt to benefit from the chance.

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SA: Yeah, it was nice. Taking part in to your nation is one thing that I don’t suppose you possibly can actually match with something. Taking part in basketball to your nation is one thing I’ve but to seek out the phrases to explain. However for me, it’s simply enjoyable. So, taking part in a distinct position, having extra of that management sort position, though I’m fairly younger, it’s simply placing me ready to be higher and simply discover methods through which I can translate it right here after which translate the NBA basketball there, and simply discover methods to win. I’m extra about profitable, and something that will get in the best way of that, I’m not fascinated by. So I’m simply looking for methods to win.

SA: Yeah, determine it out later. On the finish of the day, I wish to be someplace the place we’re profitable and the place we’re preventing for the proper stuff. I feel right here, we bought a terrific factor going. Now we have a terrific relationship right here, so I might love for it to maintain that means. I’m simply specializing in taking it daily, getting higher daily. And that stuff will deal with itself.

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SA: It’s undoubtedly the primary time it’s occurred in my profession. So, tremendous grateful for Taylor [Jenkins], all the things he’s given me. However with Tuomas now I really feel like we get slightly little bit of a contemporary begin. He has nice concepts. I’m type of aware of what he was doing again in Europe, and it was nice stuff. And humorous sufficient he’s talked about sure coaches that he’s used as reference, and I’ve pals that play for these coaches. So I truly watch them play basketball, and I see the similarities, but additionally the variations inside, the model of basketball. And it’s enjoyable for me to simply see one other perspective, have the ability to discuss basketball with any individual that is aware of it at a excessive stage, and simply get pleasure from—maintain having fun with basketball, I assume. And it’s undoubtedly completely different the best way the league is run, the best way the groups are run. On the finish of the day, basketball is basketball, and also you simply want gamers that wish to purchase in to no matter profitable requires. And on the finish of the day, in case you have that, it is possible for you to to succeed it doesn’t matter what.

SA: We’re tweaking stuff for positive. No massive adjustments as a result of we actually—we’ve had an extended observe in like, what, 4 or 5 days. In order a part of the NBA common season, I feel simply us understanding our roles, having a voice and simply understanding what are the non-negotiables and simply holding one another accountable at a really excessive stage, understanding precisely what we’re presupposed to do. And that means, there’s no grey space.

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SA: Oh, that’s a very good query. I feel simply my normal recreation IQ, understanding time and rating, offensively and defensively. I is probably not the quickest, tallest, or strongest, however I’m in the proper spot on the proper time. And I simply really feel like simply me being on the market, I assist information the workforce in a means the place it makes profitable simpler.

SA: I don’t suppose there’s a single factor the place I’m at my peak but. So, just about all the things. However I might say simply continue to grow my physique. I can tackle extra challenges defensively. And offensively, I simply wish to be extra bodily. I simply need to have the ability to beat guys to spots offensively. So I can get myself to positions I wish to be in—name it get a dunk, layup, or simply discover the open teammate in a means the place it’s simpler for me and my teammate will get extra time to shoot the shot. Or defensively, the place I’m simply going to be earlier in order that they don’t get a layup. I can shut out earlier to the man. So I’m simply extra of a presence.

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SA: I imply, European basketball, simply because, you understand, we’ve got a workforce [Grand Canaria]—a really high-level workforce—the place I’m from. And NBA basketball, having to remain up at two, three AM, that’s a really powerful negotiation to have with my mother. In order that was probably not occurring. The one recreation I truly stayed up late whereas I had exams was Sport 7, Cleveland towards Golden State. So I’m truly glad I stayed. My mother didn’t know till the sport occurred. It was such a very good recreation that I needed to inform her.

SA: Yeah, undoubtedly. All through the years, that has smoothed out slightly bit each methods. 20 years in the past, the American folks have been like NBA or nothing. And the European folks have been like EuroLeague or nothing. I feel now there’s extra of a mix. You see the video games getting—it’s globalized. Like, it’s tremendous simple to look at EuroLeague within the US and it’s tremendous simple to look at the NBA in Europe. Simply ’trigger even if you happen to don’t catch it that day, you possibly can see all of the highlights. So it’s fairly cool. However I feel it’s completely different types, completely different cultures. I feel there are methods through which coaches coach there that will not—wouldn’t sit nicely within the NBA. And that’s only a reality. I had teammates with the nationwide workforce that—you simply inform me stuff, and it’s stuff that’s utterly regular to me as a result of I grew up with them. And you then ask guys right here they usually don’t perceive why any individual would act that means. However I feel it’s cool. It’s simply completely different cultures. And that’s why I really feel like I’m blessed to be right here simply because I see each side of basketball.

SA: Uh, I’ll get again to you on that.