Andrew Wiggins is officially back, but to me the biggest revelation from practice was Brandin Podziemski acting as his own “statmuse” when asked about his “✍️” quote tweet of NBA Communications’ (!) announcement that Victor Wembanyama had won Rookie of the Month honors for February, plus — and probably more importantly — Keyonte George, Chet Holmgren and Amen Thompson were the “other nominees”. Credit Jason Dumas of KRON-TV for asking the question, to which Podziemski replied:
I played every game in February. We went 11-3, led our team in plus-minus, led all the rookies in plus-minus, all the stats they look at, helping your team win. I led in those categories and that’s what matters most to me. And it’s what matters most to a team in terms of winning. So yeah, I should have at least been in the conversation for sure.
Where’s the BP “Statmuse” when you need it? In case you didn’t know, there are “muse” accounts all over social media, particularly on Xitter. Long-time Dallas beatwriter Brad Townsend recently asked what was the deal with these muse accounts and, to my surprise, got this very informative response from, apparently, a muse in the muse network, named “Extra Muse” (😂):
Is there an official Muse Network?
A: Yes, pretty much.
How does one become a Muse?
A: Make an account with “Muse”, post sports stats, and use the illustrations!
Training?
A: Nope, but I’m happy to help, and so are most of the others.
Application process? Self-anointed?
A: The latter.
Muses make $$$ or for fun?
A: Some do, most don’t.
I asked BP’s camp if they were surprised he kept track of such stats as he mentioned on the podium yesterday. “He’s ultra-competitive,” said my insider. “So it’s not surprising he knows where he stands among other rookies. If I had goals of making First Team All-Rookie, I’d keep track of that stuff, too, on top of all my other team responsibilities.”
Come on, Muse Cult! Let’s get the “bpodzmuse” account fired up, so Brandin doesn’t have to keep tooting his own horn (and calling out the NBA 😳😂).
As for Wiggins, with his super-lowkey personality, his return was never gonna be the fanfare of, say, Draymond Green coming back from suspension, so idk if there’s much to write home about from Wiggs’ presser. 🤷🏻♂️
Nevertheless, videos and transcripts from practice the day before the Milwaukee game, below. There’s also footage of Wiggins shooting around. I still have some content from the road trip behind-the-scenes, too, but idk if I’ll be able to finish it before tipoff tonight.
PSA: I’ll be going live with the legendary John Dickinson on Twitter Spaces and Instagram Live at 6:30PM PST!
2:35 How are you feeling?
BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI AFTER PRACTICE, DAY BEFORE MIL-GSW: “I feel good. Ready to play tomorrow. Like Steve said, if it was a playoff game, I would have played Sunday, but just give me an extra rest. I didn’t have the all star break off. So it’s kind of giving me like a little four or five day break to kind of get healthy and be ready to rock down the stretch with Andrew being clear to play in tomorrow’s game.”
2:55 You guys are going to be a whole team for sure, for the first time in forever, if not really all season. How exciting is that to know, as you guys have built this momentum over the past couple of weeks, now you’re finally going to be whole through this final stretch?
“Yeah, it’s going to be great. Throughout the season, it’s been portrayed that the number of people that can play has been like a weakness of ours, but it’s a strength for us, just kind of going any direction Steve can, and whatever the game calls for, he can put out there and that’s something that we have that maybe a lot of teams don’t. And so to have 11, 12 guys play, it might seem kind of funny, but there’s always a method to everything Steve does.”
3:38 This season, the past week was kind of the first time that you’ve had to sit for injury. What was that like, being on the sidelines mentally?
“It was hard. I wanted to play. But it was a benefit for me though, just to kind of see things from a different perspective, of what the game kind of looks like, learning things, watching Steph and Chris. Just to see it from not on the sidelines, and not in the game, was definitely a benefit, but as a competitor, you always want to be out there and play.”
4:18 That was kind of my next question. When you’re on your sidelines, did you find yourself, like, seeing where you might fit in? What were some of your conclusions that you made watching the game from that perspective?
“Yeah, in terms of fitting in, no matter who I’m out there with, I can fit in. I just play simple basketball. But it was more so just kind of seeing, what kind of gets them in the rhythm, what kind of gets them in the flow, especially Jonathan and how to play off guys like that, just kind of realizing those type of things, being a great role player, just kind of visualizing that.”
4:56 You guys are rolling in terms of being able to put your team together and close out games. Of course, Denver, Boston, these are kind of litmus tests to see, ‘Can we match up against the big teams?’ Milwaukee Bucks will be another team like that. What are your thoughts going into this game in terms of being able to prove that you’re a team that’s playoff-contender worthy?
“Yeah, it’s just to win. Really doesn’t matter who it is. If we can get to the six or five seed and play someone in a seven-game series, have the most confidence to win. And we beat Boston at home. We lost them on the road. So it’s like we play them in a seven-game series, I like our chances. Obviously, we did some things with the lineup of matchups and stuff like that. I didn’t play. Andrew didn’t play. So, in terms of tomorrow, just going out there and competing. Last time we played them, we didn’t have Chris, Draymond, or Steph. And we kind of held our own, and they had their whole team. So, yeah, just another opportunity to go out there and play.”
5:56 You’re obviously an elite shooter in college, had a game recently where you were 5-for-5 from 3. How comfortable are you shooting from the NBA line here, four-fifths of the way into your rookie season?
“Yeah, very comfortable. Obviously my percentages aren’t where I’d like them to be, but I just try to read what the game calls for. If it calls for me to take the shot, I’m gonna shoot it. If not, I’m gonna try to get something better for a teammate. And that’s kind of where I’ve grown in that area. To start, I was maybe a little bit passive and now I’m just kind of doing what the game calls for and it’s led to success when I’m on the floor because I’m just trying to make the right play.”
6:36 Someone tweeted out the Western Conference Rookie of the Month rankings and you put a little note above it. Do little things like that still motivate you when you don’t see your name?
“A hundred percent. I played every game in February. We went 11-3, led our team in plus-minus, led all the rookies in plus-minus, all the stats they look at, helping your team win. I led in those categories and that’s what matters most to me. And it’s what matters most to a team in terms of winning. So yeah, I should have at least been in the conversation for sure.”
7:17 And then, last time you played Milwaukee, obviously your hometown team, you had a really good game. Just how fun of a matchup is it when you see Milwaukee on a schedule being that you grew up in that state and you have ties to, I’m assuming you grew up kind of rooting for that organization and whatnot. How fun is it to play them as a pro?
“Yeah, it’s really fun. Obviously, it’s more fun back home to play them, but just getting a chance to play. I got to see Giannis get drafted and Jabari Parker when they were kind of making their run and going to games and stuff like that, watching Khris Middleton develop into what he’s become. So, just watching that and now being able to share the floor with those guys, something you don’t take for granted and something I look forward to.”
0:25 How does it feel to be back with the team?
ANDREW WIGGINS AFTER PRACTICE, DAY BEFORE MIL-GSW: “It’s always good being back with the team, being around basketball; it’s all love here, support, so it’s always good being back.”
0:41 Steve said that you’ll be able to play tomorrow. How were you able to kind of keep up some of your conditioning and stuff while you were away, so you didn’t have to have a longer ramp up period?
“Yeah, just getting work in, when I can. No, it wasn’t my first priority, but I did make it a priority. Yes, I’m working for sure. Obviously that’s hard when you’re going through personal issues.”
1:06 How have you been able to channel your emotions to be there for your family, but also be back now that you’re here, be present, and be a great teammate and do as best as you can? How have you just been channeling the roller coasters of the motions you’ve been going through?
“Just taking care of what I have to take care of, and being present for what I have to be present for. And when it’s the appropriate time to come back, that’s what I felt like. So now I’m back here with the team and ready to get to it.”
1:42 Thinking about when it’s an appropriate time to come back, whatever took you away from the team, has that kind of subsided? Has that boiled over now?
“Yeah, not exactly. But I just take it day by day.”
2:06 Hi, Andrew. while you were out and you saw the winning road game trip, like what excited you about where the Warriors were, and that you’re excited to come back in and keep contributing to?
“We’re on the rise. We found something good, found that identity that we were searching for. And we put pieces together that worked. And it’s been a special, the last few games. We really put something good together and everyone’s playing well, playing together and we look like the real Golden State Warriors.”
2:46 How would you describe that identity?
“We’re sharing the ball, getting up and down, playing fast, aggressive, defensively. We’re locking in. And most importantly, we’re having fun on the court. I feel like when we’re having fun, that’s when we’re most dangerous.”
3:03 Wiggins being back dealing with whatever it is that you’re dealing with off the court. How does it kind of feel to be back around your guys? Does that help to deal with what you’re dealing with or help you channel some energy into just being back with the team and playing ball?
“For sure, just being around the team, it’s all love and support, It’s a family here. And when I was away, I missed the guys and obviously basketball and I’m happy to be back.”
3:44 Andrew was back out on the court. Did he come back today?
STEVE KERR: “Andrew came back yesterday and he practiced today and he’ll be ready to play tomorrow. So, a full participant in practice.”
3:56 Was he able to maintain a lot of his conditioning while he was away? You feel comfortable putting him in?
“Yeah, we feel comfortable. We’ll see how many minutes. You can’t really simulate an NBA game, obviously. So we’ll see how he holds up. But physically, he’s perfectly fine to go ahead and play tomorrow.”
4:26 Is he going to start or do you want to keep Moses in there for now?
“I will. I will most likely start him.”
4:37 If Andrew starts, what does that mean for Moses? Has he shown enough to continue to stay in the rotation?
“Yeah, Moses will continue to get time. He’s earned it. He’s really just been so professional about everything since the day he walked into this building two and a half years ago. He’s a pro. So, I’m excited to continue to get him some minutes and hopefully we can bounce back from that last game. Tough one.”
5:13 How much communication and what was kind of the nature of the communication did you guys have with Andrew while he was away from the team?
“Yeah, he and I stayed in touch. He stayed in touch with Rick (Celebrini) and a couple of other people.”
5:27 Without getting into any of the issues, how unfortunate and hard is it that for two seasons in a row now, he has had to miss a chunk of time because that isn’t easy for any player to kind of have to go through.
“Well, yeah, I don’t care about the basketball part of it. Life is way more important than the game. And so the main thing is if any of our players has a life situation where they need to be with their family, then that’s where they’re going to be. And you just want everybody to be okay, give them the space they need. And that will always be the case, with the way we operate.”
6:16 You mentioned Moses’ professionalism. How has he sort of evolved as a player? I didn’t see every game while you were on the trip, but I watched a bit of the Knicks game on DVR last night and his defense really stood out. I know you had mentioned his defense against Brunson, but we hear and see how Jonathan has kind of grown in his third year. How was Moses different, now than when he was a rookie?
“Well, he knows the league better. He understands personnel. He understands angles and how to guard people on the ball, off the ball, all that stuff for young players. It takes time to learn and the learning never stops. You’re constantly having to get to know the new players in the league and how teams are playing and what actions they’re running. And so he’s very well-prepared for everything that comes his way.”
7:12 Steve, how is everybody else’s health? You look like you’re fully healthy now, or there’s still some issues, Brandin and Steph and just what they were dealing with?
“Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody practiced today. And they’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
7:28 It’s kind of a continuation of some things that we talked about on the road with Steph and another span where you have three games in four nights, one of them a back to back. Is there another opportunity that you’re kind of looking at to maybe give Steph and some other of these guys who have had heavy wear and tear some right?
“We’re not planning anything. We were just taking it day by day and we’ll see how everything goes.”
👍👍💛💙