Nate Santos walked into Summer League as a name that only the most dialed-in Iowa Wolves fans probably recognized. By the end of Las Vegas, he had turned himself into someone worth tracking.
That’s a pretty sharp rise for a player who was undrafted last summer as a 23-year-old rookie out of Dayton and averaged 10.5 points per game in the G League last season. But Santos put together a strong enough run in Vegas that Wolves fans may need to start thinking about him as a possible two-way contract candidate for 2026-27.
The catch, at least right now, is simple: Minnesota’s three two-way spots are already taken. Zyon Pullin is set to return after a strong summer, Rocco Zikarsky remains on a two-way deal as a 20-year-old developmental piece, and Enrique Freeman was re-signed to the final spot before Vegas even began.
Still, the Wolves have shown they’re willing to shuffle those deals around. Daishen Nix was signed to a two-way in the summer of 2024 before being replaced by Tristen Newton, and Newton later gave way to Freeman.
So Santos doesn’t need an open slot today to stay in the picture.
What makes him interesting is the profile. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing with a real track record as a shooter, and this summer he showed enough athleticism to hold up defensively at a competitive level.
The shot has been there for a while. After transferring from Pitt to Dayton following his sophomore season, Santos shot 41.8% from three on 4.35 attempts per game and started 67 straight games before graduating.
That’s what made his first Summer League try with the Orlando Magic such a letdown. Last year, he started one game and played 41.6 total minutes across four appearances, going just 1-of-6 from deep.
He didn’t land a spot out of that experience, and instead signed with the Iowa Wolves, where he played in all 41 games, started seven, and averaged 23.0 minutes and 10.3 points. The three-point stroke was less automatic there, too, as he hit 36.3% of his 5.3 attempts per game.
This time around, Santos made sure there was no doubt about the shooting. In five Summer League games, he drilled 18 of 39 threes, good for 46.2%. He knocked down at least three triples in four of those games and looked comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat who could work himself open without needing the ball in his hands.
After the Wolves’ 114-98 win over the Pacers, head coach Nate Bubes laid out exactly what Santos needs to keep doing if he wants to stick.
“For him, it’s just about keep doing what he’s been doing out here,” Bubes said. “His defense has been really good, he’s standing up drives, using that big body to stop guys, and he’s making catch-and-shoot threes and he’s making the right play and decision, running the floor, and doing whatever the team needs.”
That kind of showing doesn’t guarantee a roster spot, but it absolutely buys Santos a longer look. At minimum, he proved his shooting translates against NBA talent. And if nothing else, he left Summer League with one clear victory: Wolves fans know his name now.
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