NBA Summer League: First-round pick a system fit for the Golden State Warriors

The recently drafted Brandin Podziemski has made a strong start to life at the Golden State Warriors, helping his team to a dominant 98-83 win over the Charlotte Hornets at the California Classic on Wednesday.

The 6’5″ guard, taken by the Warriors with the 19th overall pick last month, struggled scoring-wise for the majority of Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, before finishing with eight points in the final 70 seconds to offer a glimpse of his potential.

It was a performance Podziemski built upon on Wednesday, producing an impressive two-way display that included 17 points on 50% shooting to go with an eye-popping five steals. More than the numbers though, there’s a clear Warrior-feel to how the 20-year-old plays.

Brandin Podziemski is showcasing all the right traits to become a perfect fit in Steve Kerr’s system at the Golden State Warriors.

Over recent drafts the Warriors have seemingly shied away from the fit component in their draft selections, taking high-upside talents with all the physical attributes like James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga.

In the case of Wiseman it yielded disastrous results, not helped by an injury-plagued career at the franchise. Kuminga showed signs of grasping Golden State’s read-and-react, high-tempo offense during the regular season, yet much of that improvement was disturbed by his axing from the playoff rotation.

In Podziemski, the Warriors don’t necessarily have the ceiling of an All-Star on their hands, but they do have a player whose style — both described by draft experts and on the early impressions of Summer League — aligns with what Steve Kerr wants to do.

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Podziemski’s 43.8% three-point shooting with Santa Clara was evidence of someone capable of being utilized in Golden State’s offense. He’s just 3-for-9 (33.3%) in two Summer League games so far, but it’s his propensity to impact the game in other ways that’s truly exciting.

Glass half empty and you may think he lacks any elite-level skill — perhaps a reason Podziemski doesn’t have the upside of others in his draft class. However, glass half full and you see someone with a multifaceted skillset — important in today’s league where one-dimensional players can often be found out particularly in the playoffs.

Podziemski has already shown the capacity to be an on-ball creator, having been tasked with the primary point-guard duties so far in Summer League. He won’t burst by defenders with an explosive first-step, but he’s crafty enough to navigate downhill, penetrate the defense, and either finish at the rim or find an open teammate.

You’d think he’ll play primarily off the ball should he earn minutes as a rookie next season — here he can be become a catch-and-shoot threat but also possesses the ability to attack closeouts and make the next play if required.

Defensively he’s shown a propensity of being disruptive and poking the ball away from opponents, while his rebounding knack has come over from college with 10 boards across the two Summer League games.

There’s still a long way to go, and physically there’s an argument to be made that the slight lack of size and athleticism could become problematic at the bigger, faster NBA level. But purely from a skillset and IQ standpoint, it’s clear the Warriors have envisaged Podziemski as someone who can fit directly into a system they’ve cultivated over the best course of the last decade.