The Memphis Grizzlies took the man of mystery. 

For the second year in a row, the Grizzlies made a last-second deal to move into the first round of the NBA draft. In 2020, it was a trade with Boston (Pick 30) to snag Desmond Bane. On Thursday night, it was a move with Utah (Pick 30) to take Spanish big man Santi Aldama of Loyola (Maryland).

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They sent Utah the 40th pick and two future second-round selections in the deal. 

It was a move that left ESPN’s draft crew stunned. Aldama was nowhere near a first-round selection in the mock drafts and wasn’t even listed on several draft “Big Boards.”

Why? Because the Spanish player returned to his home country and declined an invite to the NBA combine, declined to work out for teams individually, and even turned down chances to interview with teams over Zoom. 

Perhaps he shouldn’t have flown under the radar. Aldama averaged 21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds with the Greyhounds as a sophomore last season, was named first-team All-Patriot League, and led Loyola to its first-ever trip to the conference championship game. 

But his strange pre-draft process led some to believe, including ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony, that perhaps he had been promised a deal as a second-round pick from a team, or even a contract as an undrafted free agent. 

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“He was confident taking the advice from our coaching staff, his agent, and his parents,” Loyola basketball coach Tavaras Hardy told The Daily Memphian Friday. “He felt that he was in a good spot. I think some people make those decisions, and you have to live with them. He felt he was in a good spot, so he made the decisions that he made, and it worked out for him. He was trusting his instincts.”

Hardy, who was with Aldama at his home in Gran Canaria, Spain, on Thursday night, did not go as far as to say a draft promise was on the table. Even if there was, it doesn’t appear it originally came from Memphis. 

“I know other teams were really excited about his potential,” Hardy said. “But he’s thrilled to be in Memphis and now he doesn’t have to worry about any of that other stuff.”

Still, it wasn’t a complete surprise. 

“He was aware that Memphis had interest, based on his conversations,” Hardy added. “But with folks working out for different teams and trades and flying around, there’s no telling what could happen.”

The Athletic’s John Hollinger wrote Thursday that it was believed Aldama was shut down by Oklahoma City in hopes of taking him 34th or 36th and stashing him overseas at Gran Canaria until he was ready to play. 

The Grizzlies, who jumped the Thunder with the trade, could potentially do the same, or allow the big man to just start in Memphis. 

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“I’m confident Santi will make quick improvements,” Hardy said. “I think with his size — and he’s more athletic than people think — he’s going to earn minutes.

“I’m not huge into following every exact detail of the NBA, but with someone choosing to draft him in the first round on a guaranteed contract, the expectation is that they are going to want him to play right away. 

“They are fully committed to his development. But whatever that means, he will just trust the process. We talk about embracing the journey at Loyola.”

Aldama’s hoops journey

So how does a top forward prospect and the MVP of a Spain team that took the 2019 FIBA under-18 European Championship end up at Loyola?

The answer is Serbian assistant coach Imo Simovic, who worked with several overseas players at the high school level and recruited them to the United States. Loyola’s 2020-21 roster featured three Spanish players. 

“(Simovic) has incredible relationships throughout the world,” Hardy said. “They wanted people they could trust, strong academics and our style of play. They weren’t caught up in what league he would play in. His family just wanted people who were going to look out for him. We checked all those boxes.”

Aldama missed the first 22 games of his freshman season with the Greyhounds following knee surgery. As a sophomore he dominated the Patriot League in almost every statistical category. He ranked first among league players in rebounds, field goals, field goal percentage, win shares and player efficiency rating. 

Now he’s the first player in school history to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft. 

“He’s extremely versatile and almost 7-feet tall,” Hardy said. “He shoots it well from 3 and he’s only going to get better. But he also can handle it. Look, he’s still a work in progress. He’s young, but in terms of upside and his chance to get better at every aspect of the game, that’s what he brings to the table.”

So, just like it did with No. 10 pick Ziaire Williams, Memphis is doubling down on the future and not the present, no matter what they decide to do with the no longer mysterious Spanish forward. 

“Memphis more than anyone — not to put too much pressure on the kid — is a great fit,” Hardy said. “You guys already know what that feels like with (Ja Morant) coming from a smaller school. 

“Personally, I’ve had a chance to coach in the Big 1o, the Big East and ACC. I understand the attention that those leagues get, but I think the NBA does a great job of finding players wherever they are. That’s what they did with Santi. So kudos to the Grizzlies management for not worrying about what other people think and what their mock drafts say. 

“They went with how they feel, and I think they will be rewarded for it.”