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Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green offered advice to second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, who is expected to fill the Klay Thompson void in the starting lineup.
“I think he had a pretty big role last year,” Green told reporters after their October 2 practice. “I’ll warn him to be Brandin. You can fall into the trap of Klay leaving. You gotta be this, gotta be that. No. Be you.”
Podziemski’s outstanding play as a rookie last season supplanted Thompson from the starting lineup.
Named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, Podziemski led the NBA in offensive fouls drawn (38), showing his commitment to sacrifice his body on the defensive end. He also stunningly led the Warriors in total rebounds (427) despite being a 6-foot-4 guard. Most importantly, the Warriors were plus-264, the best in the team, when Podziemski was on the floor.
Podziemski finished his rookie campaign averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 45.4% from the field and 38.5% of his 3-pointers in 26.6 minutes.
“You’re gonna have a much better opportunity to succeed by being yourself than trying to fill somebody else’s role… I’ll warn him that if you do great things on the court, and there’s something great that you do, then do that. Because if you do it great, the team and the organization will adjust to you because it calls for an adjustment… That’s my message to him, be BP,” Green added.
Brandin Podziemski’s All-Star Potential
The Warriors’ pursuit of Lauri Markkanen in the offseason hinged on Podziemski’s availability.
“I don’t think [the Jazz] want to move Lauri Markkanen, but if the Golden State Warriors put in a Brandin Podziemski and from what I’m told, three first-round picks, three or four unprotected pick swaps, three or four second-round picks…,” Charania said on SiriusXM NBA Radio in July.
With the Warriors reluctant to include Podziemski and all their draft capital, the trade talks stalled. Markkanen eventually re-signed for $238 million over five years to remain in Utah.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob raved about Podziemski during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July.
“Oh my God, he was a revelation to be quite honest,” Lacob said of the No. 19 pick in the 2023 draft. “I mean, he was All-Rookie team, Top 5 in the league.”
Lacob believes they found a budding All-Star in Podziemski, the 19th overall pick in last year’s NBA draft.
“He started a whole bunch of games for us,” Lacob added. “Steve had troubles getting him off the floor, he was so good. He does so many things well, he’s ultra confident, he’s got an NBA body, he can get to wherever he wants. Obviously, he can shoot threes, he can drive, he can pass. I mean, what can’t he do? We are really excited. We think we’ve got a future All-Star, we really do.”
Steph Curry Considers Brandin Podziemski as 1 of 3 Backcourt Partner Options
While Podziemski earned the starting nod over Thompson midway last season, he will have a healthy competition this year against the Warriors’ new veteran additions.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry considers Podziemski, along with De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield as the Warriors’ options to be his running mate in their backcourt.
“That’s a great question,” Curry told reporters after the first day of training camp. “We have options, obviously. We have a defensive-minded guy like [De’Anthony] Melton. You got a guy who is kind of a connector, can put the ball on the floor (and) create like BP (Brandin Podziemski). Me and BP started a couple of times last year. You got Buddy [Hield], who can shoot (and) space the floor, a veteran who knows how to play.”
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