Steph Curry likely won’t be able to play during NBA All-Star weekend, but the Warriors organization will have a little bit of representation in Salt Lake City.
2022 second-round pick Gui Santos has been named to the 24-man field for the G League Next Up game, which will take place on Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. PT.
The 20-year-old wing player is averaging 12.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from 3-point range. Despite his low profile in the United States and within the Warriors organization, Santos is popular among basketball fans in his native Brazil.
Santos, listed at 6-foot-8, 209 pounds, isn’t the most explosive athlete but he can be a smooth operator and has earned the nickname “Brazilian Luka” back home. The Warriors would probably like to see his 3-point shooting go up and perhaps see him become more of a playmaker, as he averages 1.8 assists per game.
Since he is stashed in the G League, Santos is often forgotten among this year’s draft class, which also features first-rounder Patrick Baldwin Jr. (No. 28 overall) and second-rounder Ryan Rollins (No. 44 pick overall), whose season recently ended due to foot surgery. The Warriors picked Santos at No. 55 overall but wanted him to develop in their system instead of staying overseas.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor LeTourneau recently traveled to Santa Cruz to catch up with Santos as he adjusts to life stateside.
“I still have so much work to do to achieve my dreams,” Santos told LeTourneau.
Other notable names in the G League Next Up game include former Warriors Summer League star Mac McClung, Memphis Hustle big man Kenneth Lofton Jr. and team captains Luka Garza and Scoot Henderson.
