Luca Vildoza's grandma travels 22 hours by bus to see him play / News - Basketnews.com

Vildoza's grandmother took a 22-hour bus drive from Mar del Plata to Santiago del Estero, an almost 1500 km journey, to surprise him before the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament. She did not announce her decision to anyone from the family.

Credit: Florencia Cordero Credit Florencia Cordero

Even though Saturday night did not end well for Luca Vildoza, he will have one of his relatives to support him throughout the hardship.

The Argentinian guard's grandmother arrived before the start of the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Santiago del Estero after a 22-hour bus drive from Mar del Plata. She did not announce it to anyone from the family, wanting to surprise her grandson after almost a 1500 km journey.

They met in the hotel lobby after Vildoza was told that a package was waiting for him. When he came down, he saw his grandma Angelica, known as Iaia, there.

"I am that impulsive. I wanted to see him, and I didn't care at all," she told Alejandro Malky from Basquet Plus.

The last time she saw Vildoza was during the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers game in February 2022. The two had communicated via messages since.

"Luca was unruly and quiet, he was annoying, but now he is calmer. Wherever he went, he went with the ball. He never left the ball," she said about Vildoza's childhood years.

Years later, he's played in the NBA for multiple seasons, and he's now a EuroLeague star. "Only I know the joy that I have in my heart. It is a huge joy. See where he got to, that's what's important," she said.

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