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Warriors Confident in Rising Star to Shine Alongside Steph Curry

Posted on July 19, 2024 - 2:32 am by

With Klay Thompson’s departure to Dallas, all eyes are on Golden State’s rising star, Brandin Podziemski, as he prepares to step into the spotlight alongside Steph Curry. And if you ask Warriors owner Joe Lacob, the team already has sky-high expectations for their young phenom.

“He was a revelation, to be quite honest,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob said of Podziemski on Thursday on ESPN. “Steve [Kerr] had troubles getting him off the floor. He had to have him on the floor he was so good. He does so many things well. He’s ultra confident, he’s got an NBA body, he can get wherever he wants. He obviously can shoot threes. He can drive, he can pass. What can’t he do?

“We’re really excited. We think we’ve got a future All-Star [in Podziemski]. We really do.”



Podziemski’s journey to the NBA has been anything but ordinary. After a brief stint at Illinois, he found his footing at Santa Clara, where he blossomed into a dynamic scorer and rebounder. The Warriors snagged him with the 19th pick in the 2023 draft, and he quickly proved to be a sponge, absorbing knowledge from Curry, Thompson, and the rest of the championship-caliber roster.

His breakout moment came early in the season when he dropped 23 points in his first extended minutes, and from that point on, there was no looking back. By February, Podziemski had earned a starting role, even bumping Thompson to the bench at times. He finished his rookie campaign with impressive averages of 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.



Now, with Thompson gone, the Warriors are betting big on Podziemski to fill the void. His versatility, scoring ability, and undeniable confidence make him a natural fit alongside Curry. And with the front office reportedly looking to make another splash this offseason, the Dubs could be poised for yet another championship run.

 

Whether or not Podziemski lives up to the “future All-Star” billing remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: the Warriors have a potential star on their hands, and the NBA world will be watching closely as he takes the court alongside the greatest shooter of all time.