Brandin Podziemski was overlooked for February’s Rookie of the Month award. The 21-year-old wing played in all 14 of the Golden State Warriors games that month, starting eight. He averaged 10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 42.9% from the field. Overall, he produced complete performances on both ends of the court, helping his team to an 11-3 record.
When speaking to the media following a team practice session on Tuesday, Podzeismki revealed his frustrations at being overlooked. Rather than letting the snub deter him, he’s looking to use it as fuel to continue improving his game and the impact he makes on the court.
“I played every game in February; we went 11-3. Led our team in plus-minus, led all the rookies in plus-minus,” Podzeismki said. “All the stats that look at helping your team win, I led in those categories. That’s what matters most to me, and I think that’s what matters most to a team in term of winning. … I should have at least been in the conversation for sure”
Podziemski has been a big hit with the Warriors this season. He’s outplaying his status as the 19th pick in the draft and projects to be a legitimate star for the Warriors.
— Brandin Podziemski (@brandinpodziem2) March 4, 2024
Podziemski will undoubtedly have a big role to play for Steve Kerr‘s team moving forward. As such, he will undoubtedly be getting his first taste of postseason basketball in the coming months. For now, though, Podziemski will likely use his snub as motivation, and we could start seeing that during the Warriors’ upcoming game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.