Warriors select Brandin Podziemski with No. 19 pick

The Golden State Warriors used their only pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Santa Clara shooting guard Brandin Podziemski, who they selected with the No. 19 pick.

Podziemski is seen as one of, if not the best shooter in the draft, after making 43.8% of his threes last year, en route to 19.9 points per game. He also showed tremendous instincts, nabbing 1.8 steals per game and averaging 8.8 rebounds per game despite being listed at 6’5 which, if the reports are true, is a very generous height. He rose up draft boards in recent weeks after really impressing coaches, GMs, and scouts during workouts and at the combine.

He’s also a player who has been ranked very highly by the statistical models, which project him to be a very good player.

As for the scouting reports, Podziemski was ranked No. 23 on the big board of The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, who had this to say about his positives:

Knockdown shooter off the catch ... It may only be a matter of time until he becomes a more dynamic scorer coming off screens ... Displays pillowy-soft touch when tossing up teardrop floaters and hook shots that, even when heavily contested, miraculously swish through the net ... Skilled playmaker who can rapidly diagnose defenses and deliver on-target passes straight off the dribble. He limits turnovers, too ... Outstanding rebounder for a guard, with a magnetic feel for tracking the trajectory of boards ... Active off-ball defender who racks up steals and blocks.

And this to say about his negatives:

Struggled creating advantages off the dribble against lengthier defenders due to his slow first step, limited burst, and lack of length ... He’s a subpar on-ball defender who got roasted by quicker players even when facing lower level of competition. He’s not big or strong enough to defend slower-footed guys, either.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie ranked Podziemski No. 42 on his big board, listing these as some positives:

Podziemski was a superb scorer this past season. Largely, it’s because he has elite touch and hand-eye coordination. He’s a ridiculous shooter, has a nose for the basketball and plays with a high motor. Terrific rebounder for a guard. One of the best catch-and-shoot scorers in the country. Hard to overemphasize how pure the shot looks. Podziemski drills them at a ridiculously high clip, and so many of them hit nothing but net. Hit 44 percent from 3 off the catch. This is where he’ll make his biggest impact in the NBA ... Has a great sense of when he has the perfect enough window to fire. Great at relocating off shot-fakes ... Throws live-dribble passes with both hands in a way that is fun. Santa Clara loved running empty-side ball screens, where Podziemski would make quick reads to his roll man if it came available ... His game just flows well into itself. The catch-and-shoot flows into the game off the bounce which flows into the passing. It just really works.

And these as some negatives:

Size is a real question. Podziemski came in below 6-foot-4 without shoes and does not have any length to speak of with a 6-foot-5 1/2 wingspan. Only has an 8-foot 1/2 standing reach, a number more commensurate with point guards. Has the size of a comboguard, not a wing. Will teams see him that way? Real question here is athleticism. Has zero lift as a leaper. No vertical pop. Very ground-bound player ... Not a very good on-ball defender. Intersection of lack of size and lack of speed makes him almost a tweener on that end. Not fast enough to guard good perimeter players. But not big and long enough to guard wings. Struggles to stay in front of faster guards. Really poor at containing guards in any tangible way ... Exceedingly poor closing out to shooters and containing penetration because it involves having to stop and restart his momentum ... He really struggles to separate from his man in any way. Had to dance with the ball a lot ... Gets sped up if he gets pressured tightly. Also, somewhat predictable. Much better driving to his left than his right. Very easy to cut him off by sliding in front of him.

Okay, let’s run the highlight reel and get excited!

It’s been a chaotic day for the Warriors. Any hopes of a calm draft day were killed around midday, when news broke that the Dubs were trading Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, their 2030 first-round pick (top-20 protected) and their 2027 second-round pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul.

With Poole and Rollins no longer on the roster, the Warriors have fewer young players than they ended the 2022-23 season with, but now they’ve added one through the draft, and a great shooter at that.