Golden State Warriors: 3 Santa Cruz players to keep an eye on
By Tony Pesta
Taking a note from the NBA’s Orlando Bubble, the G-League has officially returned – and this time, it’s more interesting than ever. The Golden State Warriors‘ affiliate, Santa Cruz Warriors, has a few players that could end up joining the official roster at some point.
This is in large part to the NBA being so stacked with talent that the G- League is actually becoming a great place to find hidden talent. For example, did you know Pascal Siakam played in the G-League before becoming the league’s most improved player and earning an NBA All-Star and All-NBA selection? A similar story goes for Seth Curry, who is on pace to be the first player to ever record a 50/50/90 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Other notable call-ups include Spencer Dinwiddie, Hassan Whiteside, Kendrick Nunn, Trey Burke and Daniel House.
The G-League has become a great way to farm talent. Here are three players the Golden State Warriors should be watching on their affiliate team.
As for the Warriors, they are no strangers to calling up G-League talent. In fact, Damion Lee spent some time in Santa Cruz before becoming a consistent member of the rotation in Golden State. Former Warriors player Quinn Cook also played for the Santa Cruz team for a bit.
In addition to having quality players who just missed making an NBA team, the G-League is beginning to see top-level prospects skip college and opt to play for various affiliate teams. Some of the 2021 NBA Drafts’ most coveted names like Jalen Green and Johnathan Kuminga made their debut against Santa Cruz on Wednesday.
As for the Santa Cruz Warriors themselves, there are a few players who could end up making a leap soon. This includes two-way players like Nico Mannion and other names who haven’t had a chance yet in the NBA. Let’s break down three players who the Dubs should be watching on their affiliate team.