SUMMARY
- Brandin Podziemski achieves a rare feat. against Memphis Grizzlies, becoming the first rookie in the 21st century to do so.
- Podziemski's remarkable game draws comparisons to Warriors legend Stephen Curry.
The Golden State Warriors are standing at No. 12 in the Western Conference and are riding on a two-game winning streak. Although the team is surrounded by claims related to their fading dynasty, rookie guard Brandin Podziemski hasn’t failed to shine, nonetheless. The 20-year-old native of Greenfield, Wisconsin, established a record for himself in the last game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Warriors faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 2, 2024, at the FedExForum in a road game. While the Dubs Nation showcased its pedigree in the 121-101 win against the Grizzlies, Podziemski contributed to the Bay Area side’s dominance. The rookie posted his fourth double-double of the campaign and did something that Victor Wembanyana hasn’t done since.
The first rookie in the 21st century with
12+ PTS
14+ ASTand 0 turnovers in a game. https://t.co/sG95Ss3rkN
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 3, 2024
The rookie guard scored 12 points, 14 assists, and 7 rebounds in his 34 minutes on the court. What’s important is that he scored an impressive record, too, with zero turnovers. Furthermore, he has now become the first rookie in the 21st century with such an impressive record. When StatsMuse posted his achievement on their Twitter handle, one fan commented, “Wemby can’t do this.”
Well, it seems like the ‘French Phenomenon’ has a long way to go before hitting this mark. On the other hand, Podziemski even graced Stephen Curry with a ‘father figure’ tag.
Brandin Podziemski graces Stephen Curry with a ‘father-figure’ tag post-heroic finish vs. the Memphis Grizzlies
The WCC Newcomer of the Year (2023) has become the first Warriors player since Stephen Curry to amass 14 assists in a single night. After publishing this stellar tally vs. the arch-conference rivals, the 6-foot-4 guard tagged Stephen Curry as his “father figure.” ‘Steph’ set the record for most assists in February 2010, and now ‘Podz’ stands on par with that set number.
14.
Brandin Podziemski has the most assists by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry. pic.twitter.com/QfhSdNK7VK
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 3, 2024
Referring to the two-time MVP, the Wisconsin-born said, “I look up to him in every way. How he carries himself, how he is a husband and father figure, and it is inspiration to a lot of people around the world just because of the game of basketball and how good of a person he is.”
Podz details his special bond with Steph 🥹
Warriors Postgame Live is airing now on NBC Sports Bay Area and streaming here: https://t.co/eM7v86Gdal pic.twitter.com/TPcqnlN12t
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 3, 2024
The rookie is riding on an average of 9.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists with a 46.6% shooting percentage from the deep in the 39 games that he has played this season. And the NBA seems to recognize his effort, as he was named to the 2024 Panini Rising Stars roster.
Brandin Podziemski is the fifth Warrior to make it to the Rising Star roster
Greenfield’s ‘Podz’ is all set to participate in his first NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. He is now named as a member of the NBA’s shooting stars roster and will set foot on the hardwood on February 16, 2024, for this event. Podziemski is the only Warrior in the last five seasons to make it to this list.
In the 2022–23 season, Jonathan Kuminga was selected to participate, and before that, two players, Mychal Mulder and James Wiseman, were there. In the 2020–21 season, Eric Paschall made it to the list. This time, the rising star pool consists of 11 NBA rookies, and 10 second-year NBA players, and seven of the players belong to the NBA G League.