Candace Parker Mispronounces Warriors Player's Name During Playoff Game

The former WNBA star faced criticism for repeatedly calling Gui Santos 'Guy Santos' during Amazon Prime's coverage.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:12am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a palette of navy, green, and gold, conveying the intensity and drama of the playoff matchup.A deconstructed visual interpretation of the on-court action, highlighting the tension and energy of the high-stakes NBA playoff game.Inglewood Today

Candace Parker, the retired WNBA star turned color commentator, drew heavy criticism on social media for repeatedly mispronouncing the name of Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos during Wednesday's Western Conference play-in game on Amazon Prime. Parker referred to Santos as 'Guy' instead of the proper pronunciation of 'Ghee', leading to complaints from viewers about her lack of preparation.

Why it matters

As a prominent analyst for Amazon's NBA coverage, Parker's inability to correctly pronounce a player's name is seen as a basic requirement for her role. The incident highlights the high standards commentators face, especially when covering lesser-known players, and the potential backlash they can face on social media for such mistakes.

The details

During the play-in game between the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors, Parker continued to refer to Warriors forward Gui Santos as 'Guy Santos' rather than pronouncing his first name correctly as 'Ghee'. Santos, a 23-year-old Brazilian player, has been an important contributor for the Warriors this season, starting 30 games. Parker's mispronunciation was widely mocked on social media, with viewers criticizing her lack of preparation and professionalism.

  • The incident occurred during the Western Conference 9/10 play-in game on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.

The players

Candace Parker

A retired WNBA star who has been working as a color commentator for various NBA broadcasts since 2018, including Amazon Prime's coverage of the 2026 NBA play-in tournament.

Gui Santos

A 23-year-old forward for the Golden State Warriors who has been an important contributor for the team this season, starting 30 games.

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The takeaway

This incident highlights the high standards and scrutiny that sports commentators face, especially when covering lesser-known players. It underscores the importance of doing proper research and preparation to pronounce players' names correctly, as even small mistakes can lead to significant backlash on social media.