NEW YORK – Loyola University Maryland's Santi Aldama became the second Greyhounds player selected in the NBA Draft, and fourth from the Patriot League, when he was taken 30th overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
 
Aldama played two seasons for the Greyhounds in 2019-20 and 2020-21 before entering the NBA Draft following his sophomore season. He celebrated his selection by the Grizzlies while watching the event with his family, friends and Loyola coaches near his home in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
 
"This is an amazing night to be able to celebrate with my family, friends and coaches," Aldama said. "I have been working for this so long, and there are so many people who have supported me, starting with my parents and family. I want to thank them, Coach (Tavaras) Hardy and Coach Ivo (Simović) and all of the great staff at Loyola. I am very excited to get going in Memphis."
 
He is the fourth player in Patriot League history to be selected in the NBA Draft, following Colgate's Adonal Foyle (Golden State, 1^st Round, 8^th overall) and current NBA veterans C.J. McCollum (Lehigh, Portland, 1^st, 10^th) and Mike Muscala (Bucknell, Dallas [traded to Atlanta], 2^nd, 44^th.
 
Aldama joins an even more select group of former Loyola players selected in the NBA Draft. Loyola Hall of Famer Mike Morrison was selected in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft with the 51^st overall pick by the Phoenix Suns.
 
"Great things happen to great people," said Loyola Head Men's Basketball Coach Tavaras Hardy. "Santi, his parents and his entire family are amazing and incredibly deserving of this opportunity. Santi's commitment to developing as a basketball player was second to none, but his excellence as an NBA player will be magnified by the strength of his character. He was such a pleasure to coach, loved by his teammates, and he will forever be a Loyola Greyhound!"
 
When Aldama makes his NBA debut, he will be the third Loyola player to appear in a league game. Morrison saw action in 36 games for the Suns in 1989-90, and Andy O'Donnell '49 played in 25 games for the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA in 1949-50.
 
"I could not be more excited for Santi and his family," said Ivo Simović, Loyola's assistant coach who recruited Aldama. "Memphis is getting a great person and a great player. I am so proud of both Santi and the Loyola program that we were able to recruit and develop this type of player. This is just the beginning for both Santi and Loyola basketball."
 
Aldama earned several honors during his sophomore season at Loyola, a year shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic and limited to Patriot League games only. He was named to the All-Patriot League First Team and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District XIII First Team. He was also a classroom standout, garnering Academic All-Patriot League honors and two-time mention on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
 
Aldama led the Patriot League in rebounds (10.1) and was second in points (21.2) per game in 2020-2021, earning All-Patriot League First Team honors, as well as Academic All-Patriot League recognition.
 
He was one of only two players in NCAA Division I in 2020-21 to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, per sportsreference.com, joining Austin Peay's Terry Taylor.
 
With the averages, Aldama became just the second player in Patriot League history to average 20 and 10, following Foyle who did so in both 1995-96 and 1996-97 before embarking on a 10-year NBA career.
 
Aldama was the only player nationally in 2020-21, and he also became the first player in Patriot League history, to cap the season averaging more than 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game. His 10.1 rebounds per game are seventh-most in Patriot League single-season history and the most at Loyola since Brian Carroll averaged 10.59 in 2000-01.
 
He finished the season ranked 12^th in NCAA Division I in points per game, 14^th in rebounds per game and fifth in defensive rebounds per game (8.29). His nine double-doubles were first in the Patriot League and 27^th in the NCAA, while he finished second in the conference and 48^th nationally in blocks per game (1.71).
 
During the season, in a February 13 game at Lafayette, Aldama tied the Patriot League mark for rebounds in a game with 22. It was also the second time in a week that he'd scored 30 points in a game. He later helped Loyola reach its first-ever Patriot League Championship Game by scoring a career-best 33 points to go with 12 rebounds in a semifinal win at Army West Point.
 
In two seasons at Loyola, Aldama played in 27 games and averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His rebounding average ranks fourth in school history.