Podz responds to criticism that Warriors are a failed rock band

Podz Responds to Criticism That Warriors Are a Failed Rock Band originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors hear the talk. They know that people outside the organization have doubts about what the team can accomplish during the 2024-25 NBA season.

And while the Warriors don’t like the criticism, they are confident it will energize them when the new season kicks off in late October.

Brandin Podziemski, a second-year NBA guard charged with preserving the final years of the Warriors dynasty, spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt about recent comments in which an anonymous NBA coach compared Golden State to a rock band on its last legs.

“We don’t like to hear that, but we like to hear that in the fact that we’re going to do something that nobody expects us to do,” Podziemski told Britt Friday at Oracle Park after taking batting practice for the Giants game. “They don’t think we’re the Warriors that we were, and for us, it’s just the best feeling when you have nothing to lose out there and you just go out there and prove people wrong.

“I think there’s a lot of guys who have that mentality who thrive on proving people wrong, and I know Steph (Curry) is one of those guys. So just being in the backcourt next to him and combined with all of our other guys, we’re just excited to prove people wrong.”

After winning the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, the Warriors lost in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers and were eliminated from the 2024 Western Conference play-in tournament by the Sacramento Kings.

The Warriors finished last season ranked No. 10 in the West and most analysts believe they haven’t made any significant progress this offseason.

Franchise icon Klay Thompson left for the reigning Western Conference champions Dallas Mavericks after difficult contract negotiations with the Warriors.

Veteran role players Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton have been added to the roster, but the Warriors appear to lack a true No. 2 scorer behind Curry. Perhaps Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga can do the job, but Golden State won’t find out until the season starts.

Podziemski has his own personal motivation, as he was mentioned in trade rumors all summer. But the Warriors wouldn’t trade him, even for proven NBA All-Stars. So the pressure and expectations mounted for the Santa Clara product.

But Podziemski, Curry and the Warriors feed off of silencing doubters, and that will be a telling story throughout the season.

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