Brandin Podziemski is proving he can do it all for the Warriors, earning a starting role as a rookie thanks to his efforts on both sides of the court.
The 20-year-old shooting guard has the greatest NBA shooter of all time to learn from in Steph Curry, and on defense, he's taking cues from future Hall of Famer Draymond Green, the Warriors' two-way defensive stopper Gary Payton II and even Klay Thompson.
"I would say I talk to Draymond and GP both about different things," Podziemski told NBC Sports Bay Area's Dalton Johnson and Monte Poole on the latest "Dubs Talk" podcast. "When it comes to just 1-on-1, on-ball defense and navigating through screens, I talk to GP. But when it comes to off-ball positioning and talking, I usually rely on Draymond for that.
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"I think a big part of defense -- obviously I'm not the most athletic guy out there -- I think it's just being in the right position because it sets you up for everything else that you got to do. But for me, listening to GP, listening to tendencies, I think that's the biggest thing."
While Green and Payton have been incredibly helpful to Podziemski, Thompson has assisted the rookie with one very specific part of his game that has proven to be effective.
"This is crazy, but I talked to Klay a lot about the swipe down on jump shots," Podziemski said. "... I watched [Andre] Iguodala do it for years, and I'm like, OK, well now if I've got guys like Kevin Durant, I'm not athletic enough, I can't jump high enough to contest it. So how can I get to the ball before he can get it up?
"Just stuff like that, those little things that may help me, not being the most athletic but can influence a shot."
Golden State Warriors
Podziemski also has a knack for drawing charges -- like in the Warriors' win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 17, where his heads-up play sealed the game for Golden State.
For Podziemski, it all boils down to judgment and timing. Currently, the guard is No. 4 in the NBA with 0.50 charges drawn per game this season.
"It just comes down to winning, how much you want to win, and I think that's a part of the game," Podziemski told Johnson and Poole. "But at the same time, I think I have a good feel of judgment for when it's time to take a charge versus when it's time to jump vertical ... So, I kind of just really read the play, and it's an instinctual thing.
"I don't really think about it. If I'm there, I just do it. And like I said before, it all stems from positioning, just being in the right place, and then you don't have to do much."
The Santa Clara product and first-round draft pick certainly is in the right place at the right time. And help from Warriors veterans combined with his own basketball IQ are helping him be in the right place on both ends of the court, too.