Santi Aldama shines giving a show in Dallas with Cooper Flagg: “An obsessive competitor”

Santi Aldama it is indifferent to the challenges of place and time. The oldest Spanish player in the NBA despite his still 25 years He suddenly sees himself playing basketball nine months later without doing it in a different home after five years in Memphis, but he is still himself, rendering the same fidelity to productivity. This was demonstrated at the Dallas Mavericks basketball party against the Brooklyn Nets in Jordi Fernandez (130-93).

In just his second game in Dallas and after his return, the canary from The Palms He already scored double figures with 12 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in just 14 minutes with 5/7 in field goals and 2/4 in triples. The Mavericks are still waiting to see their two Spaniards together on the court since Sergio de Larrea He is still recovering from his sprained knee. The Valencia youth squad will be re-evaluated next week.

Aldama developed a special chemistry with the local star in Memphis -Ja Morant-and it seems that it is connecting right off the bat with Cooper Flaggsuccessor to Luka Doncic and stunning wunderkind of the Mavericks. The interior was part of Flagg’s show, collecting a pass from the American teenager to finish after a colorful reverse and then participating in the reigning Rookie of the Year’s assist record by converting his pass into a triple.

Flagg had a double-double of 25 points and 12 baskets – his best mark so far. The number 1 in the 2025 draft complimented the Spaniard.

“For a 2.13 guy to be that intelligent, have that mobility and make the plays he’s making… he has an incredible vision of the game,” highlighted the 19-year-old star, pleasantly surprised with Aldama’s quick fit into the team.

Kyrie Irving recorded 21 points against his former team. His ‘scare’ in February 2023 asking for the transfer that brought him to Dallas led to the departure of Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and the beginning of the reconstruction in Brooklyn. Jordi Fernández was the one chosen for her and now the Nets are trying to find themselves in this complicated start to the season (2-8) in which they try to fit their promising veteran duo formed by Michael Porter Jr. (19 points) and Julius Randle (13).

For his part, Aldama also has to figure it out in terms of finding his fit in this complex puzzle that is the Mavericks rotation.

The advantage of the Canary is that his versatility allows him to play as a forward, power forward and center with his 2.13. In fact, he has a doctorate in versatility after touching all the suits in the Grizzlies’ chronic injury plagues.

But Dallas has a saturation of players who can play ‘3’ and ‘4’, starting with Cooper Flagg and continuing with PJ Washington, Zaccharie Risacher, Naji Marshall and Aday Mara’s former teammate Morez Johnson Jr. In the case of Johnson, 2.08, he is playing ‘4’ and ‘5’ as an alternative to Daniel Gafford while Dereck Lively II returns from his injury.

Aldama acted as a center towards the end of the first half, sharing a quintet with Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, Kyrie Irving and Caleb Martin, but he served as ‘4’ for most of the match when he was on the court with Johnson Jr. The good thing about the Spanish international is that his intelligence in moving without the ball comes in handy for him. Dusty May in the dynamic offensive system being implemented by Aday Mara’s former coach in the Michigan Wolverines.

“I didn’t know he was the obsessive competitor he is,” the coach warned. “He’s competitive, he has drive, the more competitive guys who love to compete are, the better the competitive spirit of the team will be,” May added.

The Spanish international is also integrating into this overwhelming Dallas defense in which the Texas team changes everything in the blocks and suffocates the rival as was the case last night with the Nets.

Aldama is facing an important year in the future of his career because, in these Mavericks in reconstruction, the Canarian’s contract ends at the end of the season and then the Dallas will decide with the franchise option they have to renew him for one more year and 17 millionsame salary as the one you will receive this course. But the important thing now for Santi Aldama is to find himself again. Although it seems that it will not take long for the canary to be productive boy for everything which it always has been.