What Brandin Podziemski learned from studying Jalen Brunson this offseason

What Brandin Podziemski learned from studying Jalen Brunson this offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a career-best scoring season, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski was busy learning from NBA champion Jalen Brunson’s film during the offseason.

Talking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill and Dalton Johnson on “Dubs Talk,” Podziemski highlighted how he and trainer Dustin Van Lieu were focused on Brunson’s game and style of play.

“I know offseason this year was big on Jalen Brunson,” Podziemski said. “Being able to see him play a variety against defenses of different sorts, whether it was the (San Antonio) Spurs or the (Philadelphia) 76ers or whomever you want to call it, just seeing him having to manipulate different coverages and being successful and winning a championship. I think we took a lot from him this off-season and implemented it.”

Podziemski and Brunson are both stockier left-handed guards, and Podziemski said he specifically studied Brunson’s ability to handle the Spurs’ “full-court” defense during the NBA Finals that the New York Knicks won 4-1.

“We looked at a lot of concepts like that, how (Brunson) does that and keeps and creates the advantage,” Podziemski said. “That’s probably the biggest thing we’ve looked at besides obviously the footwork.”

While Podziemski remains a polarizing figure among Warriors fans, his contract and underlying metrics reflect a productive player who has his organization’s trust.

Coach Steve Kerr called him a “big part” of the Warriors’ future, exemplified by the five-year, $110 million extension Podziemski signed on Oct. 10.

Podziemski played all 82 games in the 2025-26 season, averaging a career-high 13.8 points to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also ranked fourth in the NBA with 0.28 charges drawn per game.

More importantly, his presence on the floor next to Curry and Butler appears to be positive. Warriors lineups with Curry and Podziemski posted a net rating of +5.7, while Podziemski- and Butler-led lineups were +10.5.

Podziemski likely will have to reprise his larger scoring role with Butler only slated to return around the All-Star break and center Kristaps Porziņģis out indefinitely with an unspecified health issue.

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