Regardless of being among the finest rookies round and even profitable a spot in Golden State’s beginning lineups many occasions all through the previous marketing campaign, Brandon Podziemski wasn’t actually within the Rookie of the 12 months dialog. This is without doubt one of the major explanation why the 21-year-old can’t anticipate the upcoming season to begin.
In a current interview chatting with NBC Sports activities Bay Space’s Laura Britt earlier than the San Francisco Giants recreation this weekend, he admitted that he’s wanting ahead to proving folks flawed in his sophomore 12 months. The participant even assures that the membership’s greatest days are forward of them.
“We don’t love to listen to that, however we love to listen to that in the truth that we’re going to do one thing that nobody expects us to do,” he mentioned after taking batting observe on Friday. “They don’t assume that we’re the Warriors that we had been earlier than, and for us, I believe it’s simply the most effective feeling whenever you don’t have something to lose on the market, and also you simply exit and show folks flawed.”
“My NBA hero was Manu Ginobili. Lefty European model. Sort of like how I play, so I attempt to mimic as many issues I might from him.”
– Brandin Podziemski pic.twitter.com/q3DUzl9SKi— PodzGOAT (@PodzGOAT) September 8, 2024
Now that he’s anticipated to embrace an expanded function underneath coach Steve Kerr this subsequent season, he revealed simply how he expects to make a stronger influence in his sophomore competitors. The participant even sees himself as a vital a part of the Warriors’ impending success.
Regardless of him displaying nice promise in his rookie 12 months, he nonetheless struggled midway at occasions. Despite the fact that he earned a spot as a starter on the squad, he had issue taking pictures from lengthy vary, despite the fact that he’s all the time been a widely known sharpshooter ever since his school days.
When requested about his offensive method final season, he displayed his confidence in his taking pictures and famous he’s realized to influence the sport even when his pictures aren’t going contained in the rim. “Very comfy. Clearly my percentages aren’t the place I’d like them to be,” he instructed the press again in March. “However I simply attempt to learn what the sport requires. If it requires me to take the shot, I’m gonna shoot it.
“If not, I’m gonna attempt to get one thing higher for my teammates. I believe that’s kinda the place I’ve grown in that space. To start out, I used to be possibly just a little bit passive. Now I’m simply doing what the sport requires, and I believe it’s led to success on the ground as a result of I’m simply attempting to make the precise play.”
The 21-year-old admitted that snub on Rookie Of The 12 months race has solely fueled his want to compete stronger sooner or later
There’s little question in anybody’s thoughts that Brandin Podziemski has been one of many revelations of the 2023/24 NBA season, as he’s slowly been turning right into a starter for one of the profitable franchises in current historical past throughout his rookie 12 months. Nonetheless, the rising star wasn’t too glad when he discovered, month after month, that he’d been snubbed out of the Western Convention’s Rookie of the Month voting.
The competitors was harsh final marketing campaign, as he was up towards none apart from French sensation Victor Wembanyama, who earned the honors because the marketing campaign’s greatest rookie, and different greats like Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, Keyonte George from Utah, and Amen Thompson in Houston.
Nonetheless, the 21-year-old is generally dissatisfied with the truth that he’s not even among the many athletes thought of, month after month. The Warriors participant merely feels he deserves some recognition. “I ought to have a minimum of been within the dialog for positive,” Podziemski mentioned again in March.
When requested about it, he gave a straight reply. “100%,” he expressed. “I performed each recreation in February; we went 11-3. Led our workforce in plus-minus, led all of the rookies in plus-minus. All of the stats that have a look at serving to your workforce win, I led in these classes. That’s what issues most to me, and I believe that’s what issues most to a workforce in time period of profitable.”
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25742055/2156266396.jpg?w=360&resize=360,180&ssl=1 "Smith vs. Taylor: two views that form how I watch the NBA")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25743116/usa_today_24801836.jpg?w=360&resize=360,180&ssl=1 "Cleveland Cavaliers lived as much as the hype as Boston Celtics’ prime challenger within the East")
