The Golden State Warriors, under Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, have long boasted some of the biggest stars in the entire NBA. As Curry and Green age out of their roles, the Warriors are expected to take a step back, although their best young player, Brandin Podziemski, wants to achieve the same individual success.
Green and Curry have both won a Gold Medal while representing Team USA, and Podziemski spent part of his summer playing for the Select Team alongside Cooper Flagg.
He wants to take the next step.
After his All-Rookie campaign in 2023-24, Podziemski looked poised to be one of the better players in the NBA, if not a star. However, in his second season, he failed to improve much and was in and out of the lineup.
Still, he is one of the best young players in the league, and, critically, is one of the better young American guards.
With Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Trae Young all possibilities to represent Team USA at the 2028 Paris Olympics, Podziemski wants to take the next step and be listed among them.
"Obviously, I want to be an All-Star, as soon as I can be, whether that’s with Steph and them here, or it’s when they’re done," he told FanDuel.
"I want to be an Olympian in 2028, definitely something I have my sights on. And I just want to be a household name, somewhere where it can be me and a bunch of other guys winning a championship. That’d be kind of ideal for me.”
In 2024, Team USA found success with Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, more defensive-minded backcourt players than massive scorers. Podziemski fits that mold well, and with Holiday possibly aging out of his Olympic window, he could be a role-player on a gold medal-winning team when the Games come to sunny California.
