The Golden State Warriors Summer League concluded after two weeks of play between their time in Sacramento and Los Angeles. They played seven games in total, which meant getting an extensive look at their promising draft picks and two-way players. Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski was probably the Dubs' player under the biggest microscope. He's the Warriors' highest draft pick since they selected Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody back in 2020. Podziemski was a relative unknown before transferring from Illinois to Santa Clara, but was a late riser during draft season and rose all the way to a top 20 selection. He largely played well but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Let's recap how he played in his first NBA Summer League go-round.

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Size and athleticism could be an issue on both ends

Brandin Podziemski was an analytics darling coming out of Santa Clara. Shooting 48% from the field and 43.8% from 3 on just under six three-point attempts per game while dishing out just under four assists per game so it's not hard to see why. ESPN's Kevin Pelton's projection systems heralded Podziemski as the number two prospect in this class. While I'm sure even he isn't *that* bullish on Podziemski, Podziemski had a lot of fans in the draft community with plenty of ammo to back that faith in him.

I wasn't a big fan of Podziemski during the draft process because of his size and athleticism. His 6-5 205 pound frame is nice, but he only has a 6-5.5 wingspan and 8-0.5 standing reach. He isn't the burstiest nor most vertical athlete in the world, and that shows up when trying to create for himself. He doesn't project to be a versatile or even capable defender either.

Podziemski had a tough time scoring the ball all Summer League for the Warriors. In seven Summer League games, Podziemski averaged roughly 10.3 points per game on 26-80 (32.5%) shooting. He had a tough time breaking defenders off the dribble. Sometimes he would back his man down and slowly matriculate his way to the rim that way. Against smaller defenders, that could work. But even they can hold their own against a pretty unathletic and not long player like Podziemski. He's a free-flowing player whose skillset shines more in transition and with movement.

He doesn't project to be a versatile or even capable defender either.

But what really stands out about Brandin Podziemski is his nose for the ball. He may not have scored the ball all that efficiently during Summer League, but he can really pass and create for others. In seven Summer League games, he had 37 assists to 27 turnovers. That's a lot of turnovers, but many were ones you live with where he saw and made the right play, but his teammate wasn't ready. Because of his shooting acumen, teams mostly went over Podziemski's screens in pick-and-roll. He didn't always make them pay as a scorer, but he did as a playmaker.

Brandin Podziemski reads the game very quickly. That processing ability matched with his playmaking is what makes him a very good fit with the Warriors. Again, Podziemski is best in transition and within a free-flowing, movement offense. The Warriors led the NBA in pace in the regular season according to NBA.com. We saw him make a transition three earlier, but here he leverages his jumper to attack a closeout and dish a sweet dime for a dunk.

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Brandin Podziemski will fit seamlessly within the Warriors halfcourt offense too. This play is a great example. Notice how early he delivers this pass to give his man a chance at a shot at the rim.

Good defense saved a layup, but waiting even a second to deliver that pass takes that chance away. His playmaking was the area that Podziemski's game that shined the brightest during Summer League.

Positive takeaways

Summer League is largely a time for exploration. Players try to adjust to the speed of the NBA game and see how their strengths can translate to the NBA. Brandin Podziemski struggled as a scorer, but he shined as a playmaker and rebounder (6.3 per game). That was enough to see his place in the NBA and possibly the Warriors' rotation. Their stars and structure will only accentuate his strengths even further. Podziemski can improve but he impressed during Summer League.