Warriors' Brandin Podziemski: 'I'm a Triple-Double Guy in the NBA' in a Few Seasons
June 24, 2023
The Golden State Warriors' selection of Brandin Podziemski with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft raised some eyebrows, but his confidence makes it easier to understand why a team would fall in love with him.
Podziemski told reporters at his introductory press conference he's going to be "a triple-double guy in the NBA" in a few seasons.
B/R's Jonathan Wasserman had Podziemski ranked as the 18th-best prospect in this year's class, so it wasn't like the Warriors overdrafted him. But the scouting report did point out some potential concerns for the 20-year-old as he enters professional basketball:
"While Podziemski has shed the sleeper label, some teams may hope that he doesn't scrimmage and increase his chances of moving up boards. There will be others who want more proof that the Santa Clara sophomore can light up a floor full of second-round prospects. An ultra efficient 60.2 true shooting percentage should help validate the 19.9 points per game that were generated off advanced creation, touch and shot-making."
After effectively giving up on the two-timeline plan by trading away James Wiseman and Jordan Poole, the Warriors are a team in need of immediate help as they try to maximize the remaining years of Stephen Curry's prime.
Podziemski's shooting ability could help make an immediate impact in Golden State, but he has grand designs about the type of player he can become in the future.
The Santa Clara alum didn't specify if he was going to average a triple-double for an entire season or just regularly accumulate them throughout his career. He didn't record a triple-double in his two college seasons.
Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook are the only players in NBA history who have averaged a triple-double for an entire season. Westbrook did it four times in five seasons from 2016-17 to 2020-21.
Podziemski might be putting himself in some pretty lofty territory, but no one can say he lacks the confidence to play in the NBA.
