Regardless of being among the finest rookies round and even successful a spot in Golden State’s beginning lineups many instances all through the previous marketing campaign, Brandon Podziemski wasn’t actually within the Rookie of the Yr dialog. This is without doubt one of the foremost explanation why the 21-year-old can’t look ahead to the upcoming season to begin.
In a latest interview talking to 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 incorrect 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 apply on Friday. “They don’t suppose that we’re the Warriors that we had been earlier than, and for us, I feel it’s simply one of the best feeling if you don’t have something to lose on the market, and also you simply exit and show folks incorrect.”
“My NBA hero was Manu Ginobili. Lefty European type. Type 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 position below coach Steve Kerr this subsequent season, he revealed simply how he expects to make a stronger impression in his sophomore competitors. The participant even sees himself as a vital a part of the Warriors’ impending success.
Regardless of him exhibiting nice promise in his rookie 12 months, he nonetheless struggled midway at instances. Though he earned a spot as a starter on the squad, he had issue capturing from lengthy vary, regardless that he’s all the time been a widely known sharpshooter ever since his faculty days.
When requested about his offensive strategy final season, he displayed his confidence in his capturing and famous he’s realized to impression 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 feel that’s kinda the place I’ve grown in that space. To start out, I used to be perhaps slightly bit passive. Now I’m simply doing what the sport requires, and I feel it’s led to success on the ground as a result of I’m simply attempting to make the proper play.”
The 21-year-old admitted that snub on Rookie Of The Yr 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 probably the most profitable franchises in latest historical past throughout his rookie 12 months. Nevertheless, the rising star wasn’t too glad when he came upon, 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 in opposition to none aside 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.
Nevertheless, the 21-year-old is usually upset with the truth that he’s not even among the many athletes thought-about, month after month. The Warriors participant merely feels he deserves some recognition. “I ought to have not less than been within the dialog for certain,” 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 staff in plus-minus, led all of the rookies in plus-minus. All of the stats that have a look at serving to your staff win, I led in these classes. That’s what issues most to me, and I feel that’s what issues most to a staff in time period of successful.”
