Golden State Warriors' rookie Brandin Podziemski was a worthy recipient of NBA All-Rookie First Team honors on Monday, but the 21-year-old's latest recognition certainly comes as a major suprise.
While no Warrior made the NBA's All-Defensive Teams as expected, the bottom of the final voting results on Tuesday saw Podziemski as one of eight players to receive a single vote for the Second Team.
Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski was the only Golden State Warriors player to receive a vote for an All-Defensive team this season
Podziemski was clearly recognized by one voter for his ability to draw charges, with the 19th overall pick having led the entire league in that category ahead of Jalen Brunson, Mo Wagner and teammate Draymond Green.
Despite that fact, Podziemski's vote has to come as a shock given he ranked fifth on the Warriors in defensive rating (of any regular rotation player). He ranked fourth on the Warriors in steals per game, third in defensive win shares and sixth in defensive box plus-minus.
The young guard was one of only three rookies to receive votes. Number one overall pick Victor Wembanyama becomes the first rookie in NBA history to make the All-Defensive First Team, while Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren received 21 Second Team votes.
Complete voting results for the 2023-24 NBA All-Defensive Teams:
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) May 21, 2024
Thunder’s Lu Dort finishes two voting points behind Jrue Holiday for All-Defensive Second Team. pic.twitter.com/1F9pcuXR96
Draymond Green's defensive impact was on show late to help Golden State end the regular season strongly, but the veteran forward was ineligible for All-Defense honors given the 65-game requirement. The former Defensive Player of the Year only has himself to blame after missing 21 games through two seperate suspensions early in the season.
After claiming a fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, Green's long-time rival Rudy Gobert unsurprisingly led voting with 99 First Team votes. The Frenchman is part of a First Team almost exclusively made of big men, with Pelicans wing' Herb Jones joining centers Gobert, Wembanyama, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.
In contrast, the Second Team was made up mostly of guards with Alex Caruso, Jalen Suggs, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday joining Timberwolves' forward Jaden McDaniels in the lineup.