Brandin Podziemski has quickly become a key player for the Golden State Warriors since his draft, but his performance has been inconsistent, especially with his 3-point shooting, which stands at just 19.1% this season. He was ruled out of the Warriors’ highly anticipated game against Boston due to a mystery illness.
Podziemski spoke to reporters, including The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, on Monday, revealing that the team still doesn’t know the cause of his illness. “We didn’t figure out what it is,” he said. “We’re still trying to figure it out right now.”
The guard also mentioned a meeting with head coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., where they discussed his early-season struggles. He shared the advice he received from the Warriors’ leadership, which was to focus on being his true self and playing to his strengths. “Come out and be myself and the best version of me,” Podziemski said. “Not try to play for everybody else. Understand what I bring to the table.”
Podziemski had an impressive debut season in 2023-24, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team with averages of 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. However, this season has been a challenge, especially with his shooting. He has made only nine of his 47 3-point attempts, a sharp contrast to his rookie season, when he shot much better on a higher volume. His struggles were compounded by a nose injury late in the preseason and the mystery illness, which may have contributed to his difficulty settling into his second season. Despite these setbacks, Podziemski remains focused on improving and fulfilling the potential the Warriors saw in him.
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