Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is trying to do some damage control this week.
The Warriors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night 113-103 to snap a three-game losing streak. Golden State star Steph Curry led the way with 31 points, and Podziemski led the Warriors’ bench with 12 points of his own.
After the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr focused on what the team could still look to do better and noted that many of their young players are having difficulty playing alongside Curry this year. Specifically, Kerr voiced displeasure with their tendency to fire up contested long 2s early in the shot clock when they could be swinging the ball to Curry instead.
Some of Steve Kerr talking about teaching the Warriors’ young players how to play w/ Steph.
“It’s important for our young players to understand we don’t need contested 17 footers with 12 on the clock. That’s a bad shot…when you have Steph Curry on your team, pass the ball.” pic.twitter.com/7M5LVwEDVA
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) December 22, 2024
When asked about Kerr’s comments, Podziemski offered a strange response, essentially saying that he would not change his style of play, even for Curry.
“I don’t really think. I just play,” Podziemski said, per NBC Sports Bay Area. “When I’m out there and I’m open, I shoot it. If not, I make a play. I don’t really look too much into. I know we have Steph Curry on the court and if he’s open, I’m gonna throw the ball to him. I don’t really look too deep into those messages.”
The 21-year-old Podziemski quickly received backlash from fans, many of whom saw his comments as arrogant and dismissive of the fact that Curry is an all-time great whom teammates should often look to defer to on offense.
On Sunday, Podziemski issued a statement to address the uproar over his comments. Podziemski made sure to call Curry a “legend” and explained that he simply meant he had to avoid “over thinking every possession” and instead “just play and work to make good decisions consistently.”
You can read Podziemski’s full statement below.
— Brandin Podziemski (@brandinpodziem2) December 22, 2024
Podziemski, Golden State’s No. 19 overall pick in 2023, became a fan favorite as a rookie last season with his hustle and high-IQ play, averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. But “Podz” has regressed across the board as a sophomore, currently posting 8.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game this season on ugly 40/27/73 shooting splits.
With the Warriors sitting at a mediocre 15-12 overall this year, Podziemski has become a natural target for criticism. He definitely inflamed the fanbase even more so with these latest comments too, and many are now calling for him to be included in a trade package for this rumored Warriors target.
