The pair of Warriors sophomores competed in two hotly contested scrimmages against the star-studded U.S. team heading to the Paris Olympics.
Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis were two of 15 players chosen for the U.S. Select Team to train against the national team ahead of its quest for gold at the Paris Olympics beginning this month.
Last weekend in Las Vegas, the pair of Warriors sophomores competed in two hotly contested scrimmages, of which grainy footage from reporters emerged on social media. In the first one, the Select Team lost by six, and in the second they lost by just one — 74-73.
“It was pretty high, not going to lie,” Jackson-Davis said of the level of competition at the scrimmages. “Coach Kerr came in the day before and was like, ‘I want you guys to kick our butts.’…We played hard, we brought it to them.”
Jackson-Davis and Podziemski are used to sharing a court with Steph Curry, but the sheer volume of future Hall of Famers on Team USA is staggering. They played against Curry, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker, among others.
“I think it was a super fortunate opportunity that me and Trayce got to be a part of — playing against the 12 best players in America,” Podziemski said. “Can’t get anything better than that. Just being a part of that, being competitive, trying to bring the best out of them so they can win the gold in August. Just being around those guys, you can feel the greatness when you’re amongst them on the court. Like I said: blessed opportunity.”
Cooper Flagg, the 17-year-old projected to go first in the 2025 NBA Draft, stole the show for the Select Team. One video circulated of him initiating the offense against all-world defender Jrue Holiday before draining a pull-up 3 over Anthony Davis on a switch.
For the Warriors last year, Podziemski was named to the All-Rookie first team. He led the NBA in charges drawn, made strides as a playmaker and was the Warriors’ plus-minus leader. His ability as a connector and rebounder made him a player head coach Steve Kerr quickly trusted.
Jackson-Davis came on strong as the team’s center next to Draymond Green in the second half, protecting the rim and finishing inside on the other end. As a vertical threat, he gave the Warriors a dimension they’ve lacked for years.
Podziemski and Jackson-Davis hope the lessons learned from the Select Team opportunity carry into the season and beyond. Podziemski said he hopes to parlay the experience into a future spot on the Olympic squad — a lofty but not unattainable goal for the young combo guard.
“I think it’s a good stepping stone for some of our young guys to get a taste of what it’s like, and hopefully play in the next Olympics,” Podziemski said. “I know Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton played on the Select Team in 2020, and now they’re on the Olympic team. Good foot in the door, for sure.”
