Gui Santos surprises in Warriors debut

He may have had the lowest profile of the Golden State Warriors‘ three draft picks, but Brazillian Gui Santos provided an impressive display in his first outing for his new team.

Without fellow draftees Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, along with recent lottery picks James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, all eyes, including Finals MVP Stephen Curry’s, were on Golden State’s 55th pick in the draft.

The Golden State Warriors played the first of two games at the California Classic on Saturday, falling by 18 points to the Sacramento Kings.

Santos didn’t disappoint, going head-to-head with Sacramento’s fourth overall pick, Keegan Murray. Santos finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and three steals on 7-for-13 from the floor and 8-for-11 from the free-throw line.

He displayed an array of aggressive drives to the rim, showing dexterity and body control to provide some classy finishes in the paint. At 6-foot-8, Santos projects as a versatile forward capable of doing a little bit of everything on the floor.

Murray, whom the Kings controversially drafted over Purdue standout Jaden Ivey with the fourth pick, was equally impressive. He displayed his shooting prowess by going 4-for-5 from three in a 26-point, eight-rebound performance.

Both players looked a class above, with no other player recording more than 12 points. Santos was viewed as a draft-and-stash player after being taken late in the draft, however, things could change if he continues this type of form throughout summer league.

The Warriors will back up to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, with Moody expected to take part in a major boost to the lineup.

There’s still hope that each of Kuminga, Wiseman, and Baldwin will play in the upcoming Summer League in Vegas, however, Rollins has been ruled out as he begins recovery from a stress fracture in his foot.