- 2 days ago
Warriors' guard Brandin Podziemski is would be excited to play with LeBron James, he tells Grandi & Dibs
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00:00Welcome back. Happy Friday. No Willard today. So it's Dibs and Grandy with you here on Willard and Dibs on
00:0695.7 The Game.
00:08And we're heading out to the River Islands guest line because Brandon Pajemski, our Valkyries correspondent, standing by,
00:16ready to join us here again on Willard and Dibs. Dibs and Grandy with you.
00:20Pods, we appreciate your time. We know you were in Vegas yesterday. You still out there at Summer League?
00:25Yes, sir. I'm out here. I'm leaving tonight. I'm going to Kevon Looney's wedding tomorrow. He's getting married, so I'm
00:32going to go support him in that.
00:34Awesome. The newest Los Angeles Laker, Kevon Looney. Sounds like you're having a busy, busy summer.
00:39We'll ask you about Summer League and about Yaxl, because I know you were at the game last night, and
00:44I'm sure you have a lot to say.
00:45But we've got to talk about these Valks as well, Pods. Winners of six games in a row.
00:50They have the third-best record in the entire WNBA at 16-7. I know you're one of their biggest
00:57fans.
00:57This probably does not surprise you, but it's pretty amazing the fact that they're at this level just in their
01:02second year of existence.
01:03How crazy is this?
01:06Yeah. I mean, it's crazy when you look at it from that perspective, but you also can look at it
01:12from the perspective of there's a lot of continuity.
01:15And then you bring in another all-star starter, Gabby Williams, and I think they're really just hanging their hat
01:22on the defensive end like they did last year.
01:24And I think they're number one in a lot of categories right now, and so that's making the offense a
01:29little bit easier.
01:31And, you know, they just find a way to stack, put them together game after game, quarter after quarter, and
01:36to lead into some wins.
01:37Number one in opponents' points per game, and you've been on some great teams and some good defensive teams.
01:43When you start getting stop after stop, does it become a thing where you get so much confidence, almost to
01:48where you feel like the other team's never going to score again?
01:52I think it doesn't necessarily translate to that.
01:56I think it's more so on the offensive end.
01:58It gives you more room to breathe, and you don't feel that added pressure of like, okay, they just scored.
02:04Now I have to score to return the favor to keep the game either close or extend the lead or
02:09something like that.
02:10Every stop you get is more room on the offensive end you have to work with, and that you don't
02:14have to necessarily make a shot.
02:16Paul, we've talked to you a lot about Gabby Williams and what she's meant, obviously, her first year as a
02:21Valkyrie.
02:22She left their last game, the win in Toronto versus the Tempo, with a back issue.
02:26She's questionable for today's game in Connecticut versus the Sun.
02:29I don't yet know if she's going to be back, but it seems like good news regardless that she's questionable.
02:34It doesn't seem to be too serious of an injury.
02:36I'm curious, though, how you think things would change for the Valks without Gabby?
02:41Because, of course, she's had a really, really big positive impact, but this is a Valkyrie team last year that
02:46made the playoffs
02:47when their all-star last year, Kayla Thornton, went down.
02:50So what do you think this Valkyrie team would look like if they had to live without Gabby for even
02:54if just a couple of games?
02:56Yeah, I mean, I think it doesn't change the defensive mindset.
02:59I think it stays the same, maybe even a little bit more emphasis on that side.
03:04But like you said, it's just the next person up, and everyone's going to contribute a little bit more to
03:11the best of their ability.
03:13Obviously, Kayla Thornton's usage isn't the same now that Gabby's on the team, and people forget that she was an
03:19all-star last year.
03:19And so, you know, as a Valkyrie fan, you know, you have full confidence that she's out there
03:25and everyone's playing the way they're supposed to play.
03:27Things will go good.
03:29How important is it to have a coach with a strong philosophy like Natalie Nakase
03:33and have the team be able to buy into it?
03:36I mean, you play for Steve Kerr, and it feels like that very same thing.
03:39How important is that to any team to have that kind of singular philosophy?
03:44Yeah, I think it helps with understanding.
03:47The biggest, I think, curve that teams struggle with is, you know, either with a new coach
03:51or someone that's coming in is just understanding kind of what they're being asked to do as a team
03:59and what that's supposed to look like.
04:00And then from there, you can go individual of, like, what that's supposed to look like.
04:03And having a single approach and an identity, per se, it just gives people confidence
04:08and an understanding of, like, what's supposed to be going on.
04:12And so there's more reaction out there instead of thinking before they're reacting.
04:16And they're just out there playing.
04:18So I think it helps a big time amount.
04:20One of the strengths of this team, Brandon, is their bench.
04:2452 points from their bench this last game.
04:27I know a lot of it has been Janelle Salon and what she's doing from beyond the arc.
04:32But I'm just curious, when you get that many points from your bench,
04:36what does that do for a squad, whether you play on that team or you're facing that team?
04:41Because it just feels like this Valkyrie team, maybe they're not better when their bench unit is in,
04:46but they're getting all this added oomph from off the bench.
04:49And that feels like it's difficult to compete against.
04:52Do you think that's one of this team's strengths as well?
04:54I think the person I asked that question to would probably be Steph or Jimmy.
04:59But I think just from playing basketball, the more your non-stars score and put the basketball in the hoop,
05:08the less pressure it puts on the stars to always have to make a play or make something happen.
05:12I think that's why they say like role players win championships.
05:16You just look at anything that's ever won a championship.
05:19They've had role players step up in a big way to contribute to winning.
05:22And I think you're seeing that now.
05:24So it's not all on Gabby's shoulders every night to make plays on the stretch all the time.
05:30One of the old adages in sports that we in the media talk about is,
05:34oh, you know, role players on the road, they're going to struggle.
05:37Is that true?
05:38And is that something that you have experienced early in your career?
05:43I think not really so much in the regular season.
05:48I didn't really feel that hearing people say that I was kind of wondering what that kind of meant coming
05:54into the league.
05:55But playing on the road, I can understand why people say it just because you you feel the crowd environment.
06:04But then you also feel like the intensity from the other team that's at home kind of ramp up a
06:08little bit more.
06:10So that's I can kind of feel it that way.
06:12But I don't if you struggle.
06:14I mean, you probably should struggle home anyway.
06:16And if you're good, you should probably be good at home anyway.
06:19So that's how I look at it.
06:21All right, BP, you were at the game, the Warriors summer league game in Vegas last night.
06:25We saw you on the ESPN broadcast there for a bit.
06:27You were front and center to watch the 11th overall pick and everybody else on that squad.
06:32But specifically here about Yaxo Lendeborg, 21 points.
06:35He was 8 of 13 from the field, 10 rebounds.
06:38I was particularly struck by his passing with six assists.
06:42What have you seen so far from the 11th overall pick, Yaxo Lendeborg?
06:46He's looking pretty good.
06:47Yeah, I'm excited.
06:49The versatility that he's going to be able to bring in a multitude of lineups.
06:54You know, you can play them as small as the two.
06:57You've played probably the four a lot.
06:59But I think just the versatility.
07:01The league has gone to, you know, a bunch of guys being able to shoot the ball.
07:05And so defensively, the more switchability you have,
07:09it just allows it to be much more easier from keeping the team from getting an advantage on you.
07:15And I think he checks, you know, those boxes big time.
07:18Have you guys had a chance to spend a lot of time together and chop it up?
07:21I mean, he's a guy who is basically the same age as you,
07:25and yet you're a vet, and here comes the rook.
07:28Well, we've talked some time here in Vegas, whether it be at the facility or at the game,
07:34and then back in San Francisco when he came in and stuff.
07:39I know our relationship will continue to grow just kind of throughout the summer
07:44and heading into camp and things like that.
07:47You know, it's a bunch of things that I know I can help him out with
07:50that will make the game even easier for him.
07:53And I think that's kind of your role as a person that's been in the league
07:56and gone through some things, no matter how many years it's been,
07:59to just help, you know, guys who are coming in understand those things.
08:03What about some of the others that we saw play last night in Vegas pods?
08:07LeJay Jones, who was the second-round pick for your team, the Warriors,
08:11just a few weeks ago.
08:13LJ Cryer, who we saw at times with the big club last year as well.
08:17They both had some good games as well.
08:19What are you seeing from some of the others so far in summer league?
08:22Yeah, I mean, I think they're really putting together, you know,
08:27what they've been learning.
08:29I've been able to, you know, I was there at the facility all of May and June
08:33and really getting to see, you know, some things that they've been adding,
08:37implementing from a player development standpoint.
08:39And they're really putting that to use here in summer league,
08:44specifically for LJ.
08:45Just, we talked a lot about me, well, me and him specifically,
08:49shooting a three-ball off the ball screen.
08:50And, you know, he did that a bunch of times yesterday.
08:53So he's just getting more confident, more comfortable.
08:55He looks like Houston, LJ.
08:58So while you're out there in Vegas, and I know it's really the summer league team
09:01that is the focus for practices and whatnot, but are you getting some work in with them?
09:05What's your Vegas flow been like while you've been out there?
09:09Yeah.
09:10Not really so much getting working with them.
09:13You can try to get on the court before everyone gets there.
09:16I've been doing some live stuff with the coaches, some live reads and stuff like that.
09:21But just being around all the time, just being available for anybody that's, you know,
09:26got questions or, you know, seeking knowledge about any certain thing.
09:29Just try to be a year for them in any which way I can.
09:33And then this time of year, it's obviously news time with free agency and trades,
09:40and there's still one big domino to fall, and it's no secret, of course, it's LeBron James.
09:44Where is he going to go?
09:46I'm not going to ask you to make a prediction or anything like that,
09:48but what would it be like to theoretically play with LeBron James?
09:52You've already experienced playing with Steph and Draymond and Jimmy and a number of others.
09:56What would it be like playing with LeBron if that were to happen?
10:00Yeah, I think that'll be my sixth Hall of Famer in four years playing with Steph, Clay, Dray, Chris, Paul,
10:07Jimmy,
10:07and then LeBron if that were to happen.
10:09And it's just the knowledge that you get from just speaking to them, talking the game with them,
10:16and then obviously seeing it on the court is a whole different thing.
10:18But, I mean, it'd be cool.
10:21Obviously, you know, switches kind of people's roles around on the team,
10:26but that's what the league's about.
10:27It's about adapting and figuring out how to win each individual possession and game.
10:32And, you know, LeBron James is obviously one of the best players ever,
10:36and so I don't think he could ever hurt you.
10:37And you can throw Al Horford in that list, too, and give yourself a seventh Hall of Famer.
10:42And, you know, I don't know if Kevon Looney's going to make it, but you're going to the wedding.
10:46I'm not asking you to disclose the location.
10:49I know Travis and Taylor, their thing was super secret,
10:51but you've got the Valks going to Indiana on Wednesday.
10:56Any chance that you'll actually be there to see them take on Caitlin Clark?
11:00The wedding is nowhere near Indiana, I'll tell you that.
11:04I thought maybe it might be in the middle because, you know, Kevon and you both from Milwaukee.
11:09I don't know.
11:10It's nowhere close to Indiana.
11:12Okay.
11:12So not Ohio or Illinois, I'm guessing.
11:15Nope.
11:16Or Wisconsin.
11:17There you go.
11:18I'm just checking.
11:19Slowly narrowing it down.
11:20So when do you come home, Pods?
11:22When do we get to see you in the Bay again?
11:25I will be, my next game will probably be, I will be either end of August or early September.
11:31Probably when I'm back August, I really try to lock in on what I'm trying to get better at in
11:38the summer.
11:38That way, you know, I've got myself enough rest and time to, like, reset myself.
11:44And once August hits, I kind of really just focus for them six to eight weeks before camp.
11:48Gotcha.
11:49Well, we will catch up with you then and probably before then as well, Pods.
11:53We appreciate your time as always.
11:55Go Valks.
11:56Have fun at Kevon's wedding tomorrow.
11:58We appreciate your time.
12:00Yes, sir.
12:00Thanks, guys.
12:01Appreciate it.
12:01All right.
12:01That's Brandon Pajemski joining us here on Willard and Dibs on 95.7 The Game.
12:04Not getting married in the mill.
12:06So there you go.
12:08Kevon Looney.
12:09I mean, it's got to be like L.A. or something, right?
12:11Maybe it's even something more tropical.
12:13Maybe.
12:14Yeah.
12:15Destination wedding?
12:16Could be.
12:16Which those are always, I would imagine they're pretty fun, but.
12:20He said he's leaving tomorrow, right, Pods?
12:22He's flying out tomorrow?
12:23That sounds right.
12:23I mean, normally, I mean, weddings, you could get married on a Saturday or a Sunday, I suppose.
12:27But.
12:27You could.
12:28And if you have a destination wedding, you are kind of asking your guests to.
12:32Travel a ways.
12:33Well, go into the pocket.
12:35Pods can afford it.
12:35Yes, but I was just thinking about for, you know, general people like you and myself, like,
12:40if you decide that you're going to get married and I get the invite and it's going to be in
12:44Cabo,
12:45it's like, okay, I mean, Cabo, it's going to be three nights and bring the wife and probably bring a
12:50kid or get a sitter.
12:51And it's like, better be a good wedding, Granny.
12:53Talks to me about three large.
12:54Um.
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