Draymond passionately defends Warriors teammate Podziemski originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has an explanation for Brandin Podziemski’s struggles this season.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after the Warriors’ 120-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Green offered his thoughts on the second-year pro’s struggles.

“What he’s trying to deal with is your fault,” Green said, referring to the media. “…It’s hard, and I’m not saying this from personal experience, I’m saying this from experience watching people. It’s hard to have a great rookie season and come back with a good sophomore year or better. It’s hard.

“That’s why you’ve always heard of the sophomore crisis. It’s very difficult to do, and I think for him he’s put so much pressure on himself or on the player he wants to be or he thinks he should be, and that’s unnecessary because what he’s special at , doing everything is the other stuff on the floor and when you put pressure on yourself, like ‘I have to make this shot,’ but there are some guys that have that pressure and have to because that’s what they do. If you don’t have to have that pressure, and I say this from experience, don’t put that pressure on yourself.”

While Podziemski excelled in his freshman season and earned NBA All-Rookie honors, the 21-year-old has struggled mightily on offense through 13 games of the season. Podziemski is averaging 7.8 points per game while shooting 38 percent from the field and a disappointing 19.1 percent from three-point range.

Green was quick to offer his mentorship and explain how the rest of the Warriors know Podziemski will eventually turn things around.

“Me and Steph (Curry) talk to him every day, like, ‘What the heck, miss seven (shots), no one cares but you,” Green told reporters. “Like you’re the only one thinking about the shots you miss.’ Nobody else thinks about it, but he kind of puts pressure on himself of what he has to be and every shot means so much.

“It’s a mild Wednesday in November, that shot doesn’t mean much. But he carries that weight, and I think anyone who carries that much weight in anything, it has a negative effect on you. And I hate that for him, and so that’s something we’ve tried to talk to him about. For example, stop reacting to everything that goes wrong for you. No one cares but you. No one else.

“You almost want to say to him, ‘Shut up, man!’ Because again, none of us think about it that way… when the pace you bring to the floor, the crackbacks you get, the steals you get on the weak side of the rotation, the attacks you take, those are all great things. So if the only thing you’re struggling with is your opportunity, but you’re doing five or six other things great, I think that’s going to outweigh your opportunity. And he should appreciate that, lean on that. If he leans into that, the shots will fall.”

While the Warriors (11-3) are off to a strong start, the team will need Podziemski to figure out his shot as injuries pile up and the grind of the NBA season takes its toll. If Golden State wants to stay in the hunt for number 1 in the Western Conference, the bench will have to carry more offensive weight.

It’s not realistic to expect Curry to score at will in every game. Given the depth of the reserves, which are on pace to score the most bench points in NBA history, it’s not entirely up to the 21-year-old to score.

With such strong mentors supporting him, Podziemski should regain his chances and break out of this slump at some point this season.

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