The Golden State Warriors are coming off a tough 130-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns, marked by poor collective play despite a decent, albeit not standout, performance from Andrew Wiggins. One bright spot for the team has been the growing contributions from their rookies, particularly Gui Santos and it’s thanks to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
As Santos gains more minutes under head coach Steve Kerr, the young forward is finding himself on the court alongside the legendary Stephen Curry more frequently. Playing with arguably the greatest shooter of all time is a golden opportunity, and Santos is soaking up every bit of knowledge. He’s also taken valuable lessons from former teammate Klay Thompson, a key member of the Splash Brothers duo.
“I’m the guy that likes to watch,” Santos said after Saturday’s practice. “I’ve always been watching how [Curry] shoots—the movement, the footwork, and all the little details. Last year, Klay was here too, so I was always watching him to see how he moves without the ball, how he sets up to shoot. The shot begins before you shoot the ball. How you set up your body before getting the ball is so important. With these guys, you can learn a lot.”
Learning the splash brothers’ secrets
Santos highlighted a key technique he picked up from Curry and Thompson. “One thing I see they do a lot is keeping their hands up after shooting,” Santos explained. “Every time they shoot, they keep their hands up. Of course, for Steph, it’s different because he takes way more difficult shots. But whenever he has a wide-open look, you can see he keeps his hand straight after the shot.”
Santos’ hard work recently paid off as he scored a career-high 19 points in the Warriors’ 131-106 win over the Chicago Bulls, shooting an impressive 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. While his shooting efficiency has dipped slightly in recent games, it’s clear that his attention to detail is starting to yield results.
If the Warriors choose not to make any moves before the trade deadline, the development and exploitation of their rookie talent—including Santos—may be crucial to sustaining their NBA competitive edge.