The Warriors struck gold in the 2023 NBA Draft by selecting Brandin Podzemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis with the 19th and 57th picks, respectively.
Golden State's rookies have made a name for themselves this season, bringing a new dimension to the Warriors on both ends of the floor with their youthful talent. Their outstanding seasons become even more shocking when you consider who else was in their draft class, including Victor Wembaneyama and Scoot Henderson.
But of all the young talent in the NBA, Podzemski is confident that he and Jackson-Davis are the best rookie duo in the league.
When asked by ESPN's Marika Andrews on Thursday's episode of “NBA Today” if he had All-Rookie honors in mind, Poziemski said, “Yeah, always.” “I look at NBA.com's rookie rankings every week, and I just saw Trayce ranked No. 10 on him this morning. So I'm glad that there are two names on the top 10 list. It was a very fulfilling feeling to watch.
“But if you think about it more broadly, if we could re-draft you, you wouldn't make me 19 years old and him 57 years old. So, you know, we… made an impact and put our prints on the world.''The NBA so far, and I think we're the best rookie duo in the league. ”
According to author Steve Ashburner, Podzemski is No. 6 on NBA.com's latest Kia Rookie Ladder and Jackson Davis is No. 10, with both earning All-Rookie Second Team honors. .
Podzemski appeared in 71 games for the Warriors this season as both a starter and a reserve, averaging 9.3 points, 45.4 percent shooting from the field, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 turnovers per game. He also led the NBA in charges per game with 0.51 and led the NBA in total charges with 36, bringing confidence to the court that led to numerous wins.
Meanwhile, Jackson-Davis brings much-needed size and athleticism to Golden State, averaging 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks in 65 games. But does the Indiana product believe that Podzemski was correct in his assessment of his play?
“I agree,” Jackson-Davis concluded.
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