“You have nothing to worry about. You are the priority here.” Warriors owner Joe Lacob had to highlight the importance of Brandin Podzemski to show that what happened with Klay wouldn’t happen to the young man. After all, since last season itself, Podz has been given a more important role. While his 2024 preseason debut may not have produced the expected result, he was reliable in minutes against the Kings. Unfortunately, despite the belief, the player may have ended up quitting early due to unforeseen circumstances.
According to NBA reporter Allen Stiles, Brandin Podzemski headed to the locker room, after suffering an unexpected blow to the face/mouth. It happened in the second quarter that his violent collision with Alex Lin led to the match being temporarily stopped after he scored only 3 points in 11 minutes.
Brandin Podzemski heads to the locker room and appears to have been hit in the face/mouth.
– Allen Stiles (@The_StilesFiles) October 10, 2024
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Fortunately, the shooting guard/point guard isn’t gone for long. He returned in the second half and was able to increase his playing time to 17 minutes by the middle of the third quarter. While his number of points remained at 3, he was able to record 4 assists during the first 4 minutes and 32 seconds of the third quarter. Moreover, he didn’t have any turnover at that time! All of this contributes significantly to helping the Warriors maintain their lead, though, just barely.
Brandin Podzemski has remained relatively injury-free during this early phase of his career. While he dealt with issues with his back, illness and knee over a 4-month period, he still appeared in 74 regular season games and started 28 of them.
With the departure of Klay Thompson, the shift in the depth chart has Podz becoming the primary shooting guard. Therefore, the player needs to maintain his health at the same level as last year, if not better, if Stephen Curry and company are to have any chance of securing a championship title this time around. Moreover, staying healthy is the only way to achieve the goals he sets for himself.
Amid spotlight on his unwillingness to deal with Klay Thompson, Brandin Podzemski reveals he wants to win the Most Improved Player award
In July, when Klay Thompson’s exit was still fresh in the minds of Bay Area fans and players, Brandin Podzemski revealed that he tried to reconcile with the Splash Brother. After all, his rise in his rookie season came at the expense of the now Mavs star. This prompted him to reveal, saying: “I made sure he was okay with it. You don’t want internal tension between your teammates when it’s not something you can necessarily control. Now, with that chapter closed, Podz has some bold plans for 2024- 2025.
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“Individually, I want to be able to participate in the conversation and win the Most Improved Player of the Year award,” the Warriors outfielder said, highlighting the upcoming All-Star game. “I want to participate in Rising Stars again because it will be in San Francisco next year. I want to participate in the skills challenge. That will be fun.”
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September 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podzemski (2) poses for a photo during media day at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Photos by Carrie Edmondson-Imagine
While playing as a starter, Bay Area fans will have their eyes on Brandin Podzemski. The young player will be under close scrutiny to determine not only whether he can help the team this season, but whether he is someone they can rely on after Stephen Curry’s exit. If there’s one thing that can affect his prowess, it’s injuries.
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Before you go, remember to check out this cross between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.
