He watched Giannis Antetokounmpo evolve from raw rookie to MVP from the nosebleed seats—just a kid from Greenfield soaking in greatness. Years later, Brandin Podziemski not only competes against the Bucks superstar but also brings a bold challenge to the matchup. And now, he is doing it with Steve Kerr’s full blessing to let it fly.Appearing on Up & Adams Show, the Warriors guard peeled back layers of his upbringing and confidence, while also hinting at how he plans to level up next season. And it all starts with Kerr. “Coach Kerr just said you’re not going to turn down a single shot next season,” Kay Adams pointed out. Podz’s response?Known for his tireless motor and unfiltered confidence, Brandin didn’t flinch at the responsibility. Instead, he doubled down. “I mean, it’s definitely a blessing for sure,” Podziemski said. “Don’t take it for granted. Not a lot of young players in the Golden State Warriors system get, you know, freedom like I’ve gotten. So I don’t take it for granted, but I also know what I put into the game, how much time I spend on it. So I think it’s an even balance to history.”“Granted” was never a word in his dictionary, after all. For starters, Podziemski’s rise has never been about traditional boxes. From being a three-star high school recruit to transferring out of Illinois after riding the bench, he surged back at Santa Clara to become a lottery pick and a legitimate rotation player for Golden State. His first two seasons in the NBA proved that his style—built on pace, fearlessness, and constant energy—was built for the league. “It’s definitely a blessing.”Brandin Podziemski just got the ‘Steph Curry Green Light’ from Coach Kerr @heykayadams | @brandinpodziem2 pic.twitter.com/37BKuh6uFu— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) June 3, 2025In 2023–24, Podziemski averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from three. Despite a slight dip in efficiency from long range during his sophomore campaign (which, in all honesty, was also because of his wrist injury in the postseason which required surgery), he bumped up his scoring (11.7 PPG), defensive impact (1.1 SPG), and overall assertiveness, making 33 starts in 64 games. The numbers reflect a player steadily earning Kerr’s trust.Now, the green light isn’t just metaphorical. It’s institutional.Back when he switched from baseball to basketball, Brandin had made his goal clear: “I told my parents I wasn’t just trying it to try it. This is what I wanted to do. Being in the NBA is my end goal. It wasn’t just I want to pick it up and try it for a couple of months.” And once his mind was made, Podz always had his family and close-knit community to help him stay focused. To put him in “the best position to get here.” And now with Coach Kerr also giving the ‘Steph Curry Green Light,’ there’s no stopping the 23-year-old. And perhaps this boost of confidence (I mean, the kid has more than enough) might just be the reason for his very ambitious and quite bold Giannis Antetokounmpo wish.Brandin Podziemski eyes a championship “in Milwaukee against them”With all the love he’s receiving from the Bay Area, it’s hard to imagine BP cheering for another team. But growing up in Greenfield, Podziemski was a Bucks fan through and through. Understandably. Hard not to love a 6’11 ‘Greek Freak,’ and especially when the said freak is rewriting the history of his city. And so, naturally, the idea of wearing that same jersey felt like destiny.“I mean, of course, you think about it as a kid growing up, like going to the games, watching Giannis, like how cool would it be to, you know, wear the same jersey as him, do the same things he does,” the Warriors guard shared to Adams. But that dream eventually shifted. “Once you find yourself like in the NBA, and like you said, business is a business, like you want to be with that team that invested for you from the start when you haven’t, you haven’t accomplished anything. And so that’s what Golden State has done for me,” Brandin Podziemski stated.Clearly, Brandin has no plans of looking back. Instead, he’s aiming even higher. “It’d be pretty cool to win a championship in Milwaukee against them,” the Warriors guard smiled. That’s more than just a mic-drop moment for hometown drama. It’s also the kind of challenge he’s been preparing for his whole life. Facing Giannis. Competing in that arena. Thriving in that pressure.Will that dream come true? Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long-term future in Milwaukee remains a question mark, and ironically, the Warriors are one of the more buzzed-about dark horse destinations should he ever leave. But for now, Podz is locked in—with eyes on the prize, a green light from Kerr, and a very specific stage in mind to make it all happen.The post After Steve Kerr’s Green Light, Brandin Podziemski Makes Ambitious Giannis Antetokounmpo Wish appeared first on EssentiallySports.