07-30-21 06:38 PM - Post#325697 In response to MrPhillie
Yes very surprising. Sports Illustrated graded the pick as a D-. Most mock drafts had him going closer to #60 or going undrafted. I assume the Grizzlies intend to stash him in Spain for a couple of years while he develops.
According to ESPN, Aldama had every intention of staying in Spain, meaning he did not attend the 2021 NBA Combine and did not conduct any known workouts with NBA teams. He had a desire to "continue his career in Spain" and turned down Zoom interviews while in Spain to discourage teams from selecting him.
If a player is not drafted fairly early, it is often better to go undrafted in the NBA draft/salary structure.