Brandin Podziemski might not be at Steph Curry's level just yet, but the Warriors rookie certainly is headed in the right direction.
And that's intentional.
Podziemski continued his impressive rookie campaign Friday night in Golden State's 121-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, contributing 12 points on 62.5 percent shooting, with seven rebounds, 14 assists, two steals, one block and was a game-high plus-18 in plus/minus rating in 34 minutes.
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His 14 assists were the most by a Warriors rookie since ... Curry.
The 20-year-old guard has been taking notes from Curry since the Warriors selected him out of Santa Clara with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and on that humid June night, a special bond was born.
"He's been my mentor all along through the summer, through the fall, through now, through the season," Podziemski said Friday on NBC Sports Bay Area's "Warriors Postgame Live" moments after the win. "I look up to him in every way. How he carries himself, how he's a husband, a father figure and an inspiration to a lot of people around the world just because of the game of basketball and how good of a person he is.
"For me, being a rookie, quite a few years younger than him, I kind of want to follow in those footsteps and be just as good."
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So far, so good, rook.
Through 39 games (11 starts) this season, Podziemski is averaging 9.3 points on 46.6-percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range, with 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 25 minutes.
There is a long way to go for Podziemski, but with a mentor like Curry by his side, the future surely is blindingly bright for the confident young guard.
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