Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is looking like one of the best young players in the NBA. Especially after Klay Thompson's departure, Podziemski is a crucial part of the Warriors' young core as they prepare for a post-Splash Brothers world.
In a shocking admission, Podziemski reveals that he almost pursued baseball instead of basketball in an interview on “The Dinner Table” podcast.
According to Podziemski, his father wanted him to focus on baseball throughout middle school and high school. When Podziemski knew that basketball was his passion, he had to start a difficult conversation.
“It was a hard conversation,” Podziemski said. “I remember we were driving back from a tournament in Nashville, and I just told him in the car, ‘I don't think I want to play baseball anymore. I think basketball is something I love to do now, and this is just where I want to stop.”
“I remember him almost crying about it because he was like, ‘There's no way, you're so talented, you're so gifted, you're meant to play baseball,'” Podziemski continued. “I just like stood true to it, I was like, ‘If you let me play, I'm going to make it in basketball.' Five, six years later got drafted, so just stayed true to what I told him.”
It's clear from what Podziemski has shown on the basketball court that he is an incredible athlete. If he had stuck with baseball, there's a chance he may have been able to go pro as well, but it looks like he made the right decision sticking up for himself and choosing basketball.
Brandin Podziemski's future with the Warriors
Podziemski, who was drafted with the 19th pick in the first round by the Warriors last year, was able to immediately work his way into the rotation and contribute. The 6-4 rookie averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from three while averaging 26.6 minutes per game. Podziemski ended up finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting
For a Warriors team that is desperately looking for depth behind Steph Curry, Podziemski could be the answer. The Warriors have been aggressively pursuing Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz, and according to ClutchPoints NBA Insider Brett Siegel, would only make a deal if it included Podziemski. So far, the Warriors have said no, showing their faith in their young star.
Podziemski has had a great start to his NBA career. It's crazy to think that he almost chose a different sport instead of basketball.
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