Santi Aldama Net Worth

Santi Aldama made a name for himself in the basketball world at a young age. After being named most valuable player at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship, he played college basketball for Loyola and now plays in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies. 

With his quick rise into the league and solid production in his rookie campaign, his future looks bright at just 21 years old. As his profile grows, so does curiosity around the young Spaniard’s current financial situation and career earnings. 

This article will examine Aldama’s path to the NBA, his basketball salary and endorsements, financial investments, and overall net worth.

Santi Aldama’s net worth and salary

Aldama has quickly made a name for himself in the NBA since joining the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021. With his strong play and ever-growing role on the team, his net worth in 2023 is estimated to be around $4 million. 

Most of his wealth comes from his current rookie contract with the Grizzlies. As a second-round draft pick, he signed a 4-year, $6.4 million contract in 2021. For the 2022-2023 season, Aldama earned a salary of $2 million.

His salary will continue increasing each year, up to $2.5 million in 2024-2025. In addition to his NBA salary, he has the potential to earn money through endorsement deals. While he doesn’t have any major endorsement deals yet, they could certainly contribute to his income soon.

Santi Aldama plays for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA (Source: NBA)

Other revenue streams that factor into his net worth are his investments, assets, and any business ventures he’s involved in. Details around these are currently unknown, but wise investment of his NBA earnings could see his net worth rise significantly. 

With his rookie contract securing him $6.4 million over four years, plus expected endorsement deals and investment income, Aldama has quickly grown his wealth and financial security.

Still only 21, if he continues his impressive play in the NBA, his $4 million net worth in 2023 could be just the beginning.

Shanti Aldama started playing basketball at the age of three

Aldama was born into a basketball family, so it’s no surprise he took to the sport at such a young age. His father, Santiago Aldama, was a professional basketball player who represented Spain at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. 

With basketball in his blood, a young Aldama began playing basketball as soon as he could hold a ball – at the ripe age of 3 years old.

With the coaching and guidance of his father and uncle Santi Toledo, who also played professionally, Aldama quickly took to the sport. 

He played enthusiastically as a child, inspired by Spanish basketball icons like Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro, as well as modeling his game after the late, great NBA star Kobe Bryant. 

Santi Aldama during a game against the USA (Source: NBA)

He stuck close to home in his development, playing for the Canterbury Basketball Academy in Las Palmas rather than leaving for major Spanish clubs like Barcelona or Real Madrid. 

The coaching and competition he received from Canterbury were enough, as his talent was on full display by age 15. 

At the 2017 Spanish Under-16 Championships, a 16-year-old Aldama averaged nearly 19 points and 5 rebounds per game, leading Canterbury to a 3rd-place finish.

With his father’s Olympic pedigree and his evident skills, Aldama was set up for basketball success from the minute he started playing.

His journey that began playing as a toddler with his basketball family led him to become the promising NBA talent he is today.

Shanti Aldama was claimed one of the biggest college-bound steals

When Aldama committed to play college basketball for Loyola Maryland in 2019, it came as a surprise to basketball analysts and scouts.

He was a highly regarded 4-star recruit who was receiving interest from major conference programs after his strong play overseas. 

However, he chose little-known Loyola and the mid-major Patriot League. Evan Daniels of 247Sports called Aldama’s decision to play for Loyola “one of the biggest college-bound international steals in quite a while.” 

It was seen as a major coup for a smaller program to land such a talented international prospect. Many analysts believed Aldama had the talent to make an impact at a top-25 NCAA program.

Santi Aldama played college basketball for Loyola Maryland (Source: Loyola Greyhounds)

However, he was drawn to Loyola for academic and fit reasons. With plans to study business one day, Loyola’s academics appealed to the Spanish forward. He also felt comfortable with the coaching staff and environment on his visit to the campus.  

It quickly became evident that snagging Aldama was a huge addition to Loyola Maryland. After missing time due to injury in his freshman season, he averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the 10 games he did play. 

As a sophomore, he made a massive leap, putting up 21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest en route to First Team All-Patriot League honors.

Shanti Aldama plays for both the NBA and the national team of Spain

After a standout college career at Loyola Maryland, Aldama caught the attention of NBA scouts.

He was selected 30th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He signed his rookie deal with the Grizzlies in August 2021.  

In his first season with Memphis, he took on a depth role and averaged just over 10 minutes per game. But he showed potential, recording his first 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in December 2021. 

Given more opportunity in Year 2, he evolved into a key part of Memphis’ rotation. He started 20 games while averaging 9 points and nearly 5 rebounds, helping the Grizzlies to the 2nd best record in the NBA’s Western Conference.

Santi Aldama plays for the Spanish National Team (Source: Sportskeeda)

On top of his blossoming NBA career, he has also represented Spain in international competitions. He first played for the Spanish national U16 and U18 teams as a teenager.

In 2019, he led Spain to a gold medal at the FIBA U18 European Championships while being named tournament MVP.

Still just 21 years old, Aldama appears to have a bright future ahead, starring for both the Memphis Grizzlies and the Spanish national team.

His length, versatility, and basketball IQ have helped him carve out an early role with the Grizzlies faster than most second-round picks. 

If he continues developing, Aldama could become a cornerstone in Memphis while also helping Spain challenge for medals in future international tournaments.