The Golden State Warriors start the season with 2 wins and 1 loss.
After winning their first two games of the season, the Golden State Warriors suffered a blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Brandin Podzemski, who is considered the future of the Warriors, had a poor start to the 2025-26 season.
Podzemski started the Warriors’ first two games, but was moved to the bench for the third game as Quinten Post started.
The 22-year-old averaged just 8.7 points on 36.0 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from 3-point range through the Warriors’ first three games.
This wasn’t the start Podzemski was hoping for, especially after making such a big deal about wanting to be better than Stephen Curry.
“I want to be better than him. I think it’s a difficult job, but I want to maximize my talent in the league and get as much out of it as possible,” he said.
Since then, this quote has received a lot of attention. Former NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins is one of the many people who doesn’t buy Podzemski’s statement.
“I don’t buy it… This is not a blow for him. Those are very big shoes to fill. I’m not mad at him. Sometimes athletes are a little paranoid. I can say I’ve been like that sometimes. That’s part of the confidence.”
Podzemski’s comments indicate he takes inspiration from Curry, but there will also be a lot of pressure to perform at a high level.
Early season struggles don’t help his cause. Podzemski prioritizes confidence over technique, but he can’t make unsubstantiated statements.
Cousins wasn’t the only one who wasn’t convinced by what he said. Another former NBA player, Chandler Parsons, doesn’t think Podzemski can replace Curry.
“I don’t buy it, because it’s a big burden.
“Is he part of the future? Yes, Moody is. So is Kuminga. It’s one thing to believe and one thing to believe. I like the way he plays, he works hard, and I think they like him, but I don’t understand handing him the torch to be the next Stephen Curry of the franchise.”
Podzemski will need to make a major turnaround this season if he wants to be taken seriously again.