Warriors first-round pick Brandin Podziemski is eager to prove himself: ‘In a few seasons, I’m a triple-double guy in the NBA’

The Warriors drafted the Santa Clara combo guard at No. 19 on Thursday.

SAN FRANCISCO — Brandin Podziemski has a certain swagger about him.

At just 20 years old, he walks around with an overwhelming belief in himself.

“In a few seasons, I think I’m a triple-double guy in the NBA,” he said Friday afternoon.

Podziemski also had a point-blank answer when asked what he would say if he was told back in October that he would’ve broken out as the West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year and be a top-20 NBA draft pick.

“Yes.”

Podziemski’s quick response received a wave of laughter from the crowd, which included his family, coach Steve Kerr and team owner Joe Lacob, who gathered for his introductory press conference on the ninth floor of Chase Center. But it also furthered general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s belief that they took the right guy with their No. 19 pick in Thursday night’s draft.

Cam Whitmore, the versatile 6-foot-7 wing from Villanova whom many projected to be a lottery pick, was still on the board when the Warriors were on the clock Thursday night. While Whitmore was worth some consideration, Dunleavy decided to stick with the plan, selecting Podziemski, who is determined to prove to the Warriors they made the right choice.

Dunleavy can’t remember how well Podziemski shot the ball or what he did in a pre-draft workout at the team’s facility last month. But what left a lasting impact on Dunleavy about Podziemski was his character and competitive nature.

Oh, and did we mention his glowing confidence?

Podziemski also left that meeting feeling like he could be the “perfect fit” for the Warriors and what they were trying to do.

“It was probably my best experience through the pre-draft process,” Podziemski said. “Just felt like a family, I felt like, in our interview, with [Dunleavy] and the rest of the staff, it felt more like a conversation than an interrogation.”

One of the biggest pieces of feedback Dunleavy got from conversations with players and the coaching staff after last season was the need to get tougher, more competitive guys in the locker room. Podziemski fits the bill in Dunleavy’s mind.

Part of what stands out about Podziemski is his rapid rise within the last year.

Podziemski struggled to get on the floor as a freshman at Illinois, averaging only 4.3 minutes in 16 games (no starts), despite being a highly touted four-star recruit out of a high school.

So he transferred to Santa Clara his sophomore season, eager for a fresh start. It didn’t take long for his impact to be felt. Podziemski averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 44% from the 3-point line.

“It was all about opportunity and confidence that my coaches gave to me,” Podziemski said. “I was the same player I was at Illinois, it was just in a different light because of opportunity.”

Podziemski believes his journey up to this point makes him more equipped to handle the uncertainty and difficulties that comes with being an NBA rookie.

“Going through that mentally and physically has helped me,” he said. “A lot of guys in my position, top-20 picks, haven’t necessarily gone through some adversity where they didn’t play. Every step of their journey they’ve probably been the best player, gotten to do whatever they kind of wanted.

“[For] me, going through that and not playing, it may happen the same way with the Warriors. And so for me, I know how to get through that and so I think that kind of gives me a little bit of an advantage over everyone else.”

Podziemski knows it’ll take some time to adjust to the speed of the NBA, but he believes he has what it takes to crack the Warriors’ rotation next season and play meaningful minutes.

“For me, I’m one of the smartest, if not the smartest player in this draft class,” Podziemski said. “That just meshes well with guys who know how to play basketball. And you put me out there with a lot of guys who have the same IQ level as me, I think it’s just ultimate success. So I think I’ll be ready to go day one.”