A year after missing the playoffs, the Warriors are projected to be even worse after Klay Thompson’s departure. One of the bright spots for the franchise is the emergence of Brandin Podziemski, who made the All-Rookie First Team last season and looks primed to leap in his second year.
Podziemski’s busy summer has seen him being a part of Team USA’s Select Team and playing in three NBA Summer League games where he stuffed the stat sheet. After watching him drop 21 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists against the Bulls on Sunday, the Warriors declared he was too good for the Summer League and shut him down.
During a Summer League game on Wednesday, Joe Lacob couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear when asked about Podziemski’s growth.
“He was a revelation, to be quite honest,” Lacob said of Podziemski’s rookie campaign.”He started a whole bunch of games for us. Steve [Kerr] had trouble getting him off the floor; he had to have him on the floor, he was so good. He does so many things so well. He’s ultra-confident, he’s got an NBA body, he can get wherever he wants. He can shoot threes, he can drive, he can pass. I mean, what can’t he do?”
“We’re really excited. We think we have a future All-Star. We really do,” Lacob added.
Podziemski himself is not shying away from the expectations placed upon him. Last season, he boldly declared that he had the tools to be not just a franchise cornerstone but the heir apparent to Stephen Curry.
For a 21-year-old, Podziemski is already an elite shooter at the NBA level, making an impressive 38.5 percent of his threes as a rookie. His 3.2 attempts per game were also a high mark for a rookie.
In Podziemski, the Warriors have also unearthed a prized trade piece they could use to land a superstar-level player. The Jazz reportedly covet him even more than Jonathan Kuminga in a potential deal for Lauri Markkanen.
