Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 109-106 on Wednesday night at Chase Center. It was an ugly win in a lot of ways. Twenty-six turnovers, a fourth-quarter comeback required to put away a team with little interest in the standings, and another night without Stephen Curry in the lineup.
In the middle of all of it, Gui Santos was something else entirely.
The 23-year-old Brazilian scored a career-high 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting, carrying an undermanned Warriors team still reeling from Moses Moody‘s season-ending knee injury. After the game, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green both had plenty to say about what they have been watching Santos become.
What Kerr Said About Santos
Steve Kerr, Warriors, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Giannis trade
GettyHead Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors.
Kerr did not hold back.
“A lot of minutes here the last month with all the injuries, and he continues to get better,” Kerr said. “He’s really crafty. He’s finding ways to get to the rim, with great footwork, and is a really clever player, feeling very confident with his shot, too.”
He went further. “It’s fun to see Gui really blossom,” Kerr said. “I think he’s just feeling like he knows he’s going to get a lot of minutes, and that I have faith in him, and he’s got a lot of confidence in himself.”
That confidence has been building for weeks. Santos was not touted as a scorer coming out of Brazil or even during his time with the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. The offensive development, the footwork, the improving 3-point shot. All of it has come through relentless work rather than natural reputation.
Kenzo Fukuda
Steve Kerr on Gui Santos’ career-high 31 points and his play since the stars went down:
“It’s fun to see Gui really blossom… I think he’s just feeling like he knows he’s going to get a lot of minutes, and that I have faith in him, and he’s got a lot of confidence in himself.”
What Santos Said About His Career Night
Gui Santos
GettyGui Santos of the Golden State Warriors.
Santos spoke to his family immediately after the game. Their first question was about the history of it.
“They were asking me, how many Brazilian players had 30 points in the NBA?” Santos said. “And I think that was just three or four. Me, Leandro Barbosa, Varejão, and Nene Hilario. All of us had 30 points. It’s special, not gonna lie.”
It is a list worth being on. Santos became just the fourth Brazilian player in NBA history to reach 30 points in a game, joining names that carried the flag for Brazilian basketball long before he arrived. The 55th pick of the 2022 NBA Draft has come a long way from where he started.
Gui Santos said his family called him after the game to let him know he’s one of four Brazilian players to score at least 30 points in an NBA game:
“That was me, Leandro Barbosa, Varajão and Nene Hilario. So all of us had 30 points. It’s special, not gonna lie.” pic.twitter.com/6P24kcQW7m
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) March 26, 2026
What Draymond Said About Santos
Green offered the most honest assessment of all. As a fellow second-round pick who built his career on things that do not always show up in box scores, Green has watched Santos’s journey with genuine admiration.
“My honest answer is, when Gui got here, he did not look like an NBA player,” Green said. “And he just put his head down. Worked every single day.”
Green recounted mornings at the practice facility when he would arrive to find Santos already finishing a workout. The hours in Santa Cruz. The process never wavering regardless of opportunity or recognition.
“You’re talking countless hours in Santa Cruz, never once has he complained,” Green said. “Has always stuck to the process. He never veered off that. Stayed, head down, working, and he’s getting the opportunity now to show everything that he’s worked on and the game that he’s built, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Asked Draymond Green about the work Gui Santos has put in to get where he’s at right now:
“When Gui got here, he did not look like an NBA player, and he just put his head down. Worked every single day…. from the day that he got here, he never veered off that.”
Full soundbite: pic.twitter.com/GXGT7UJDbB
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) March 26, 2026
What It Means for the Warriors
Santos has stepped into a larger role out of necessity. The injuries to Butler, Moody, and Curry have forced the Warriors to lean on players who were not expected to carry this kind of load. Santos has not just absorbed the minutes. He has thrived in them.
With nine games remaining and a play-in spot locked in, Golden State needs everything Santos has been giving them. The climb toward a better seed starts now, and he is going to be a significant part of how they get there.
Final Word for the Warriors
Kerr called it blossoming. Green called it beautiful. Santos called it special.
All three are right. A 55th pick who did not look like an NBA player when he arrived has worked himself into one of the more compelling stories of this Warriors season.
He earned every one of those 31 points. The work started long before Wednesday night.