Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski praises Stephen Curry's leadership

The current talk surrounding the Golden State Warriors is largely focused on Klay Thompson's departure, so the franchise's attention now shifts to what's next. And for Brandin Podziemski, fresh off his first season with the franchise, he'll likely be thrust into an even larger role in 2024-25.

During the recent scrimmages between Team USA and the USA Select Team, Podziemski took part with the group helping to prepare the national team for the Olympics. While much of the conversation was about Team USA, the Warriors shooting guard was also asked by Sportskeeda's Mark Medina about teammate and Olympic-bound Stephen Curry, and Podziemski had nothing but praise.

“He’s an incredible person. The thing that’s different about him in regards to other stars is that people want to play for him. He’s a great leader. He inspires others. He doesn’t ask for much. He gives everybody the credit and the limelight. He just goes out there and works his tail off as much as he can," Podziemski said.

"He lets us have our shine. He’s a super personable person. People want to play for him. So as a young guy coming in, that’s all you can ask for in a mentor.”

The high praise for Curry is nothing new, as it's rare to hear anything negative come out about the 10-time NBA All-Star, specifically from his teammates. And considering how young the bulk of the Warriors' rising core is, that's a reason for optimism ahead of a new season with numerous question marks.

The Warriors went 46-36 last year but lost in the NBA Play-In Tournament, missing the postseason. After losing Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks, they've added Buddy Hield to step into a big role in the team's backcourt. Still, in a loaded Western Conference, Golden State may need to add even more firepower sooner than later.