Podz eager, ready for second Warriors season after summer refresh

Podz eager, ready for second Warriors season after summer refresh originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LAIE, Hawaii – Brandin Podziemski’s first NBA offseason had a little bit of everything. He saw the business side of basketball with Klay Thompson and Chris Paul moving on to other teams. He went against the best competition as a member of the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team and showed out in the few summer league games he played for the Warriors.

With the most free time he ever has had in his young basketball life, the main advice Podziemski, 21, was told was to find other things he loved outside of basketball. Podziemski listened and traveled with friends, taking in a few Team USA games at the Paris Summer Olympics. He even went back to his baseball roots, throwing out the first pitch at a Milwaukee Brewers game and took batting practice at Oracle Park before a Giants game where he launched one over the right-field wall.

The Summer of Brandin Podziemski expanded the Warriors’ standout rookie going into Year 2, both as a person and player.

“I’m glad I got to do that, but I also put a lot of time and work into my game, knowing that those two legends have moved on, opportunities are open for someone to take,” Podziemski said in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area. “Why not me?”

Those last three words are how Podziemski looks at nearly everything. Nobody expected him to be a first-round draft pick after receiving little playing time as a freshman at Illinois before transferring to Santa Clara and excelling as a sophomore, bolting up draft boards and landing with the Warriors at No. 19 overall. Then the thought was he would spend significant time in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Instead, Podziemski became the most trusted rookie ever under coach Steve Kerr, leading to being a First Team All-Rookie selection.

Following success comes greater expectations, and Podziemski believes he’s up to the task, already taking on more of a leadership role going into his second season.

“I’m all-in on those expectations and want to exceed them any way I can,” Podziemski…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/podz-eager-ready-second-warriors-213716744.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-10-05 21:37:16

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