The NBA Summer League isn't about staring at box scores and concretely evaluating players after a few games with unfamiliar teammates in a brand new system. The court is a jumble of high draft picks, second-round picks, undrafted players looking to prove themselves, and journeyman veterans vying to prove they belong in the league.
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski looked underpowered at times last year in Las Vegas and at the California Classic. Golden State's top draft pick couldn't make shots and looked far from a potential All-Rookie First Team selection. With all the intangibles the Santa Clara native brings to the court, it also became clear he didn't put much emphasis on Summer League.
Podziemski's second summer was spent on the exhibition circuit, but it didn't last long. And it didn't need to. The biggest demands on him from Steve Kerr and his coaching staff, as well as voices from the top of the front office, tested the 21-year-old.
Podziemski should be a threat from 3-point range whether he starts alongside Stephen Curry or comes off the bench, and he showed no hesitation taking 3-pointers in two games in Las Vegas and one at Chase Center for the California Classic.
And this summer, Podziemski has improved as a 3-point shooter with each game.
Podziemski will not play in any more Warriors games in Las Vegas after appearing in three Summer League games as part of the USA Select Team, his final appearance being Sunday night in a 92-83 win over the Chicago Bulls that improved Golden State's Summer League record to 5-0.
Podziemski led the Warriors in points (21 points on 8-of-14 shooting), rebounds (12) and assists (7), while also making 4-of-8 3-pointers.
Podziemski scored 3-pointers in a variety of ways in the final game of Summer League: catch-and-shoot, shots off the dribble, step-back shots, it was all there.
“We need more guys who can shoot 3-pointers, volume and accuracy,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy told reporters in Las Vegas on Friday. “It may be an internal thing. Moses is a big player. [Moody]and [Andrew Wiggins]B.P. and [Jonathan Kuminga]I think we can all shoot the ball, we just have to improve our 3-point shooting as a team.
“If it's Clay [Thompson] Either way, we had to go back. Klay and Steph take a lot of 3-pointers, and the other guys take a little less. We want to get the other guys a little more even, and have more outside threats, and increase that number. I think we can do that, but at the same time, we always want to improve and get more.”
The Warriors already know that Podziemski brings a fully charged battery of energy to both offense and defense, his decision-making as the primary ball-handler in Year 2 shouldn't scare the Warriors, and he may be the perfect candidate to make a leap in 3-point shooting.
In his last game in Las Vegas, Podziemski made 3 of 6 3-pointers. He didn't make a shot in his lone game at the California Classic this year, but made six 3-pointers in two scrimmages with Team USA as the primary point guard for the USA National Team.
Poziemski averaged the fifth-most 3-pointers attempted and the fourth-most overall as a rookie, and in a Thompson-less 2024-25 team, the left-hander should be second only to Curry and the Warriors' newly acquired veteran shooter, Buddy Hield, in terms of shooting ability.
This year's summer league version of Podziemski was clearly the stronger player, getting to the basket with relative ease and continuing to showcase his budding chemistry with Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Most notably, the 3-point line is a more comfortable spot for Podziemski, closer to the force that saw him shoot nearly 44% from there in his lone season with Santa Clara, which helped him skyrocket up draft boards and get selected 19th overall by the Warriors.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk podcast
