The Golden State Warriors saved their trade fireworks for before Thursday night's main event at Barclays Center, ultimately standing pat at No. 19 overall to select Santa Clara guard Brandin Podziemski. As a new-look roster continues taking shape ahead of free agency, let's grade the Dubs' lone pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Warriors' 2023 NBA Draft grade
Golden State pretty much knows what it's getting in Podziemski, but not because the front office made good on pre-draft rumors of prioritizing age and experience. Podziemski is still just 20 years old after bursting onto the scene at nearby Santa Clara, entering the NBA following two wildly disparate college seasons.
The Wisconsin native committed to Illinois as a four-star recruit in the High School Class of 2021, ranking among the top-100 recruits in the country. Podziemski didn't live up to that billing with the Fighting Illini, playing just 69 total minutes as a freshman before electing to transfer to Santa Clara. He was the West Coast Conference co-Player of the Year and among the most productive stars in college basketball less than a year later, averaging 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 43.8% on a high volume of tough triples.
Just over 6'5 in shoes and 205 pounds, Podziemski's game begins with his long-range shooting prowess. The lefty has deep range on his jumper, with a smooth, repeatable release and textbook footwork and balance getting into his shot. Behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, obviously, Podziemski immediately projects as Golden State's most dangerous three-point shooter on the catch, off the dribble and stepping behind dribble hand-offs—the single attribute that could help him push for minutes off the bench during the regular season.
Podziemski isn't some one-dimensional sniper, though. Those shot-making chops are equally impressive inside the arc, where he creates space for step-back mid-rangers and soft, high-arching floaters with advanced craft and pace as a ball handler. Podziemski's lack of physical tools limit his potential as an on-ball creator for himself and teammates, but he should thrive as a secondary playmaker in the Bay, taking advantage of scrambling defenses with natural processing speed and court vision as a passer.
“I'm a perfect fit for them, and they're a perfect fit for me,” Podziemski said at a post-draft presser, per Madeline Kenney of Bay Area News Group. “I want to win a championship this year.”
The reality is that very few rookies ever get consistent court time on a team's postseason run to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Christian Braun is the exception, not the rule, carving out his niche with the Denver Nuggets while playing alongside a truly transcendent offensive force after three full years and a national title at the University of Kansas. It's easy to ignore Braun was played out of the rotation versus the Los Angeles Lakers before coming alive in the NBA Finals, too.
Nikola Jokic's all-encompassing offensive influence paved the way for Braun's athleticism, defense and quick decision-making to loom larger than ill-effects of his poor three-point shooting against the Miami Heat. If only Stephen Curry's similarly singular offensive impact did the same for Podziemski's clear deficiencies on the other end.
With a standing reach smaller than some point guards' and wingspan matching his height, Podziemski doesn't compensate for lagging lateral agility and short-area quickness with plus positional length. Ridiculous rebounding numbers and a surprising 39-inch maximum vertical leap at the NBA combine certainly didn't translate into effective defense at Santa Clara, either.
Podziemski profiles as a clear minus defensively at the next level, the type of offense-first guard regularly preyed upon by opposing ball handlers—especially in the playoff pressure cooker. He'll be a bright red target for the likes of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Ja Morant in simple ball-screen actions, while Jokic will no doubt look to exploit Podziemski with the pass every time he switches off the Nuggets' least threatening offensive player.
Curry's defense quietly took a step back in 2022-23, but not primarily due to effort and execution. Even scheme sound, fully committed defenders at guard can become untenable liabilities when facing the best players and teams in basketball.
This is where the opportunity cost of Golden State's selection of Podziemski comes in. Firmly behind Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Chris Paul in the Dubs' 2023-24 rotation, those sweeping defensive questions would also make it stunning if Podziemski beat out Moses Moody and Gary Payton II for court time amid the postseason crucible.
Cam Whitmore's stunning draft night slide ended one pick after the Warriors nabbed Podziemski. Kris Murray was off the board minutes later to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 24.
Would Whitmore's potential All-Star ceiling or Murray's hopeful ability to slide into a backup forward slot as a rookie have made them better picks for the Warriors at No. 19? It's definitely worth wondering given the long-shot possibility of Podziemski getting on the court when it matters most.
Nobody should be surprised if he shines for Golden State during the regular season, making defenses pay for mass attention gained by Curry and Thompson and opening more eyes while playing the role of on-ball operator when the ever-aging Dubs are short-handed. Opposing gameplans aren't nearly as precise and intentional during the 82-game grind, though. It's 16-game players the Warriors really need, a distinction that defensive issues could always keep Podziemski from earning.
There's no guaranteeing Whitmore has a clean bill of health, let alone scrapes his utmost long-term potential. Murray may not ever hit the level reached by his twin brother, Keegan, during the back half of Golden State's epic first-round battle with the Sacramento Kings, and it'd be a major surprise if he managed as much as a rookie.
Podziemski is a seamless offensive fit for the Warriors, especially with Donte DiVincenzo set to bail for a bigger payday in free agency. If defense keeps him from ever being a reliable playoff contributor, though, the Dubs would've been better off swinging for the fences with Whitmore or drafting for positional value with Murray.
Follow Us
Subscribe