Warriors’ Brandon Podziemski can’t wait to ‘prove people wrong’ next season

Despite being one of the best rookies and even earning a spot in Golden State’s starting lineups multiple times this past campaign, Brandon Podziemski hasn’t exactly been in the Rookie of the Year conversations. This is one of the main reasons why the 21-year-old can’t wait for the upcoming season to begin.

In a recent interview with NBC Sports Bay Area‘s Laura Britt before the San Francisco Giants game this weekend, he admitted that he is looking forward to proving people wrong in his second year. The player even assures that the club’s best days are yet to come.

“We don’t like to hear that, but we like to hear it in the fact that we’re going to do something that nobody expects us to do,” he said after batting practice on Friday. “They don’t think we’re the Warriors that we were, and for us, it’s just the best feeling when you’ve got nothing to lose out there, and you just go out there and prove people wrong.”

“My NBA hero was Manu Ginobili. Left-handed European style. Kind of like how I play, so I try to emulate as many things as possible.”
– Brandin Podziemski photo.twitter.com/q3DUzl9SKi

— PodzGOAT (@PodzGOAT) September 8, 2024

Now expected to take on an expanded role under coach Steve Kerr next season, he revealed how he expects to make a bigger impact in his second-year competition, even seeing himself as a crucial part of the Warriors’ upcoming success.

Despite showing promise in his rookie year, he still struggled at times. Although he earned a starting spot on the team, he struggled with long-range shooting, despite being a known marksman since college.

When asked about his offensive approach last season, he expressed confidence in his shooting, noting that he has learned to impact the game even when his shots don’t go in. “Very comfortable. Obviously my percentages aren’t where I want them to be,” he told reporters in March. “But I just try to read what the game is asking me to do. If it’s asking me to take the shot, I’m going to take it.

“Otherwise, I’m going to try to provide something better for my teammates. I think I’ve grown in that. To begin with, I was maybe a little passive. Now, I just do what the game calls for and I think that’s led to success on the field, because I just try to make the right play.”

The 21-year-old admitted that skipping the Rookie Of The Year race has only fuelled his desire to perform stronger in the future

There’s no doubt that Brandin Podziemski has been one of the revelations of the 2023-24 NBA season, as he has slowly developed into a starter for one of the most successful franchises in recent history during his rookie year. However, the rising star wasn’t too happy when he found out month after month that he was being snobbed in the Western Conference Rookie of the Month voting.

The competition was fierce last season. He had to compete against none other than French sensation Victor Wembanyama, who was given the honor of being named the best rookie of the season. Other greats, such as Chet Holmgren of Thunder, Keyonte George of Utah and Amen Thompson of Houston, were also in action.

The 21-year-old, however, is mostly disappointed that he’s not even among the athletes eligible month after month. The Warriors player just feels like he deserves some recognition. “I should have been in the conversation for sure,” Podziemski said in March.

When asked about it, he gave a clear answer. “One hundred percent,” he said. “I played every game in February; we went 11-3. We led our team in plus-minus, led all the rookies in plus-minus. All the metrics that look at helping your team win, I led in those categories. That’s what matters the most to me, and I think that’s what matters the most to a team when it comes to winning.”