Steph Curry lauds 'annoying' yet coachable rookie Brandin Podziemski: "Easier to tame a lion"
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry still considers Brandin Podziemski as his rookie and a work in progress. He, however, has been impressed with the effort being put in by the first-year player and is high on his potential moving forward.
Selected 19th overall by the Warriors in last year’s rookie draft, the 20-year-old Wisconsin native has willed his way to the team’s rotation. He is even starting games of late, showcasing steady play on both ends of the court.
Currently, the 6-foot-4 guard has averages 9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 46 games with a time of 26.4 minutes per match. Alongside, Jonathan Kuminga, Podziemski is a huge help for the team notwithstanding the struggles it has had to endure in the first half of the ongoing NBA season.
In a recent report that came out in The Athletic, Steph Curry shared his thoughts on their rookie player.
The 10-time NBA All-Star said:
“It’s easier to tame a lion than get a sheep to show some oomph. The most annoying parts about him are the greatest parts about him. He’s still coachable. That’s a big part of it. You can say all that stuff but if you can’t accept coaching, that’s where it turns into being counterproductive.”
In their last game before the All-Star break on February 15, Curry and Podziemski started at the guard positions and helped their team to the 140-137 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Steph Curry had 16 points and 10 assists while Podziemski had 13 points and eight assists.
Brandin Podziemski looks to take over from Steph Curry once his playing days are over
Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski does not mind playing behind Steph Curry for several years more in Golden State but expressed his hope of taking over from the Warriors legend once he calls it a career.
The 20-year-old Santa Clara product has been steadily building his foundation in the league, with help from his veterans like Curry, Klay Thompson, Chris Paul and Draymond Green. The lessons he has gotten has served him well as he recently earned the nod to start games.
He said in a report that came out of Basketball Forever:
“When he (Steph Curry) retires, in how many years that may be, I feel like it’s my job to fulfill what he’s doing. [Curry’s] amazing. Just to see the things he does, as a husband, father, [and] businessman. To see how he treats people. He’s never too good for anybody… He just wants to be like everybody else. [He] just wants a chance to play basketball. He loves it for the right reason.”
He recently saw action in 2024 Panini Rising Stars competition, part of the NBA All-Star festivities, playing for NBA legend Pau Gasol.