Podziemski actually claimed he could be the ‘white Shohei’

in 2025 Golden State Warriors they are off to a great start. They are 4-2 and looking to keep winning. One of the key players in their start is Brandin Pod Ziemiawho was used as a big piece off Golden State’s bench in the backcourt. Podziemski has evolved into a solid basketball player and someone who can grow into a significant role for the Warriorsbut growing up, he was a baseball player first.

A feature story published Friday by the Athletic’s Warriors reporter Nick Friedel focused on Podziemski’s love of baseball and how he grew up playing baseball before focusing on basketball in high school. In the story, Podziemski had a huge quote that’s going viral for its oddness. He said he could have been like Shohei Ohtani because of his skills and mindset he could have been a great player.

“I think I could be the white Shohei (Ohtani),” Podziemski told the Athletic. “I think I could do both. Maybe not to the extent that he can, but I think I could definitely do both. Pitch, field, hit, all those things.”

It’s worth noting that Podziemski has been seen on the baseball diamond since high school; he recently threw out the first ball at a Giants game in 2023. One reporter even said the radar gun clocked him at 86 mph. Then in 2024, he took batting practice at Oracle Park and hit a home run there.

Despite looking away briefly while pitching and hitting, there’s a huge difference between that and comparing yourself to the best baseball player in the world.

During Brandin Podziemski’s final season playing baseball in 2019 at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, his stats don’t immediately jump out as game-changers.

He played in 11 varsity games that season, scoring five goals. On the mound, he went 2-3 in 22.2 innings, allowing 15 runs (14 earned for a 4.32 ERA) on 26 hits and nine walks. He also struck out 40 batters, including three games with double figures. Then, at the plate, he had 15 hits in 32 at-bats (.469 batting average) with three doubles, two triples and 10 RBI.

Brandin Podziemski had a slow start to the season, but Steve Kerr challenged him, and he has his best performance so far in his last game.