Brandin Podziemski’s father, John Podziemski, wanted Brandin to pursue his career in baseball.
Born on February 25, 2003, Brandin Podziemski, 22, became the youngest Golden State Warriors guard to score 26 points in a playoff game.
He also recorded 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block and helped the Warriors win with a 106-109 score against the Houston Rockets on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Following his fantastic gameplay, Twitter users have praised him. One user wrote,
Brandin Podziemski , you were a dawg tonight, shout out to you man
@Its_Prisca_K
Another user wrote,
thank you brandin podziemski! we needed you tonight big dawg
@TASHMAYAA_
The Golden State Warriors selected Brandin with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and signed a contract on July 3, 2023.
He became the first Golden State Warriors rookie to have 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5 or more assists in a single game since two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry did so in the 2009-10 season.
Podziemski recorded 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in a 126-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks on February 23, 2025.
Brandin Podziemski’s Parents Played A Significant Role In Shaping His Basketball Career
Although Brandin and his parents, John and Barbara West, live in Wisconsin, United States, their ancestors had a deep-rooted history with Polish heritage.
Therefore, they hold American nationality and are of Polish-American ethnicity.
Earlier, Brandin had expressed interest in obtaining Polish citizenship to play for the Polish men’s national basketball team.
Brandin’s father, John, a printing press operator, played a significant role in shaping his athletic journey. John was familiar with baseball, so he wanted Brandin to pursue his career in baseball.
During the interview with Kyle Boone of CBS Sports, John openly admitted that he once hoped Brandin would fail at basketball so he would move to play baseball. He said,
“Honestly, truthfully, God as my witness: I wanted him to fail so badly at basketball,”
John Podziemski
One day, when John and Brandin were driving back home, Brandin asked John to play basketball. John agreed, but only under some tough conditions.
He insisted that Brandin would play against older, more experienced players, hoping that that challenge would discourage him.
Despite John’s reservations, Brandin succeeded by playing for his church team and later dominated state-level youth tournaments.
John is proud of Brandin as he has made records on his basketball journey. On February 25, 2025, John took to his official Twitter handle and wished Brandin a happy 22nd birthday.
Happy 22nd Birthday! You may be the youngest Golden State Warrior still, but you play with a passion and heart of a vet.. God has blessed you with a great organization, staff, teammates and an amazing fan base. So enjoy the day!!!! Go Warriors 🏀 Love Dad
John Podziemski
On the other hand, Brandin’s mother, Barbara, has avoided the media spotlight, so little is known about her personal life.
Brandin shares a close bond with his mother. On May 9, 2021, he took to his official Instagram handle and wished Barbara a happy Mother’s Day with the caption,
Happy Mother’s Day to the best Mom out there… I love you so much and you always continue to amaze me with the things you do for me each and every day! I LOVE YOU❤️🐐
Brandin Podziemski
Barbara and John are currently feeling proud as their son has become the youngest guard for the Golden State Warriors to score 26 points in a single game.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Shooting guard Brandin Podziemski has one younger sister named Gabriella Podziemski.
- He started his college basketball career with the Illinois Fighting Illini. As a freshman, he played in 16 games, all off the bench, and averaged 1.4 points per game.
- Podziemski was rated a four-star recruit and committed to playing college basketball for Illinois over offers from Kentucky, Miami (FL), Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.
