With the 19th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected guard Brandin Podziemski out of Santa Clara. Not known for being a basketball powerhouse recently, Podziemski is the second first-round pick out of Santa Clara in the last two years, following Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder last year.
Breaking into a rotation as a rookie in the NBA is hard enough. Doing so on a team that has Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Cory Joseph as the other point guards on the roster is a nearly impossible task.
But, Podziemski didn’t let the odds stacked against him get in his way of producing. He worked hard during the offseason and when his number was called in the regular season, he made sure Steve Kerr would have to play him.
When injuries and suspensions hit the roster, Podziemski’s number was called. He has been a regular part of the rotation since mid-November and has made 14 starts. Podziemski has become someone Kerr trusts on the court and has seen his role with the team increase, and rightfully so.
On the season, he is averaging 9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 26.4 minutes per game. He has been efficient from the field, making 46.4 percent of his shots overall and 38.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.
That was good enough for Podziemski to earn a spot in the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. He was the lowest-drafted player taking part in the game, which speaks volumes about how much work he has already put in this season.
Getting that taste of All-Star weekend has Podziemski looking for more sooner than later. He has revealed that he has set a major goal for himself, as he wants to participate in the game on Sunday and become an NBA All-Star in his career.
“I want to be an All-Star,” Podziemski said. “You know, Jonathan has taken that next step of really being in that conversation. To see his growth just this year has been pretty special. So going into the summer after this year elevating my game to another level, doing the things that I’m deficient in now and making them as efficient as possible, I think I can get there. I’m never gonna just settle for being a role player, especially after my first year. I got a long career ahead of me.“
That is the kind of confidence and thought process that separates players in the NBA. Everyone on a roster is talented; you need to do something to stand out amongst them. For Podziemski, he has great examples to follow as Golden State has several future Hall of Famers on their roster.
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