SAN FRANCISCO – Decked out in a black and light violet No. 22 Veronica Burton jersey on Sunday evening at Chase Center, the 6-foot-5 Brandin Podziemski reprised his role as one of the WNBA expansion team’s most vocal supporters with courtside seats.
The Warriors guard vehemently argued foul calls against Valkyries players, applauded enthusiastically after Kate Martin’s buckets and watched the action with complete focus during the Valkyries’ 86-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
Put simply, Podziemski threw himself into being a fan.
“When we’re playing at Chase Center, we don’t get to be a fan,” Podziemski said. “To see and be in this kind of environment, which is similar to ours, it’s beautiful.”
Podziemski averaged 11.7 points per game as the Warriors’ starting shooting guard, finding a groove toward the end of the regular season before struggling with his shot in the playoffs.
The Wisconsin native underwent left wrist surgery last week, perhaps explaining his cold postseason shooting — 36.4% from the field and 32.8% on 3-pointers.
Cheering the Valkyries from his courtside seat at Chase Center is a fun way to pass the time as Podziemski allows the wrist, which was wrapped in a black sling and a white bandage, to recover.
“The wrist is healing, and I’m just going through the process for that,” Podziemski said. “I’ll be ready to go by training camp, so all is well.”
Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski exchanges words with Washington Mystics’ Brittney Sykes (20) during the fourth quarter of a WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Growing up in Wisconsin, the second-year guard attended his fair share of Bucks games.
The seats were not quite as close to the action as his spot at Chase Center, though.
“I was in the nosebleeds,” Podziemski said with a laugh. “So it’s my first time (being courtside), and it’s quite a surreal experience.”
He began to watch the WNBA as a college student, catching games on TV when he could during the summer and growing to appreciate the talent in the WNBA.
When Joe Lacob and the Warriors’ ownership group brought a team to the Bay Area, becoming a fan was a no-brainer for Podziemski, who counted Julie Vanloo, Burton and Kayla Thornton as his favorite players to watch on the team.
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Warriors teammates Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga, along with coach Steve Kerr, were also present during the Valkyries’ season opener.
But none have been as consistently visible as Podziemski, who has attended each of the team’s first three home games.
During the Valkyries’ first-ever victory, a win over the Mystics, Podziemski was seen talking trash to Washington star Brittney Sykes.
“I’m a basketball junkie, and I love women’s sports,” said Podziemski, who sat next to Lacob on Sunday. “For Joe and them to invest in a team and bring one here for us to have during the summer, it’s pretty cool.”
He hopes to attend as many home games as possible during the season, although he said he is slightly bummed about having to miss Saturday’s looming matchup with the star-studded Las Vegas Aces to attend his sister’s high school graduation in Wisconsin.
Expect to see Podziemski rocking Valkyries merch, cheering and clapping for and supporting the franchise for the entire summer.
“It doesn’t matter if we go 0-for-whatever or are undefeated, I will always be here and try to support them, because I know they’d do the same for us,” Podziemski said.
Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (2) leaves the court following the Golden State Valkyries 86-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
