Podziemski's Rise: From College Benchwarmer to NBA Baller, A Rookie's Underdog Journey in the NBA
😔The definition of an underdog is a competitor who appears to have no chance of winning.
⛹🏼♂️Given that's the definition, current NBA rookie and starter for the Golden State Warriors, Brandin Podziemski, qualifies as an underdog.
⁉️If you've been keeping an eye on the NBA while watching the Warriors, you've probably found yourself wondering, just as I have, "Who is this kid, and what's his story?"
‼️Fortunately, via X, formerly known as Twitter, Podziemski answered that question for us: "2 years ago at this time, I had 17 DNP and only played garbage time. 1 year ago at this time, I wasn’t on any draft boards. 5 months ago, all I heard was that I was a bust. I started the year out of the rotation, and now I'm starting for the best franchise in the NBA! #ificandoityoucan2"
🤝Podziemski was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school in Wisconsin, with offers from the nation's top programs, most notably Kentucky.
✍🏽He chose to play at Illinois. Most 4-star recruits are expected to make an immediate impact, and if they aren't impact players in their first year, they're at least expected to be frequent contributors.
🍋Unfortunately, Podziemski rode the bench at Illinois, which led him to transfer down a few levels to Santa Clara.
🏆Podziemski went to Santa Clara and played exceptionally well! He averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, earning him the title of WCC Co-Player of the Year alongside Drew Timme of Gonzaga. He became a 1st Round pick for the Warriors after just two college seasons.
🍋🍋After being drafted by the Warriors, Podziemski struggled during the NBA’s summer league, which serves as games to prepare rookies for their transition to the NBA. As a result, he once again appeared to be a bust with no chance of prevailing.
🥇🏁Podziemski’s dedication, vision, and resilience allowed him to prove the doubters wrong once again. Like he said in his tweet, he played his way into becoming a starter for one of the most successful teams in the NBA.
🔑I encourage you to take a page from Podziemski’s playbook, as I mention in my upcoming book, "Underdog." Never allow your current circumstances to affect your vision—what you hope for in the future. Instead, have such a strong vision that it propels you to change your current circumstances. When you do, you will win the battles everyone else assumes you have no chance of winning. Keep going, Underdog and as you do, remember what Podziemski said, “if he can do it, you can too!
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