Not everyone’s journey to the NBA is the same, and Warriors forward Gui Santos is the perfect example.
The Brazilian forward went from winning Sixth Man of the Year in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) in 2021 to playing a key role for the Golden State Warriors this season. When asked about his journey to the NBA as a second-round pick in 2022, Santos simply had one word that he felt best represented how he had found success.
He also elaborated on how much his game has evolved throughout his young career, transitioning from a more ball-dominant player in Brazil to just another player in an established system.
“I think the keyword for that is patience,” Santos said after practice on Friday at Chase Center. “Because when I got here, I was a point guard. Playing back in Brazil was like playing as a point guard, you know, having the ball in my hands. I spent the whole year in the G League (2022-23) just learning how to fit the system.”
As revealed by Santos, his path to the NBA was playing defense, being a willing rebounder and also having a knack for feeding Steph Curry the ball.
However, with Curry and Draymond Green both missing time due to injuries, Santos has earned more opportunities, and he is not taking them for granted.
In February, Santos is averaging 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He is also on a stretch that has seen him score 15-plus points in the Warriors’ last four contests.
With the Warriors currently sitting at the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and the NBA playoffs looming, it’s hard to imagine that Santos won’t work his way into the rotation permanently.
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