The first three names on last season’s NBA All-Rookie team were expected.
Victor Wembanyama from San Antonio, the top pick in 2023 and unanimous rookie of the year, was an obvious choice. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, the second pick in 2022 who was eligible this season after missing his first year due to injury, was also a lock. Brandon Miller from Charlotte, the second pick in 2023, was another easy pick.
They all lived up to the expectations. The other two All-Rookie first-team selections exceeded what many thought they would achieve.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. from Miami and Brandin Podziemski from Golden State were not lottery picks, yet they both made the All-Rookie first team, showing they performed better than many anticipated last season. As this season begins, Jaquez and Podziemski are aware they will need to take on larger roles for their teams as they aim to improve even more in their second year.
“During the pre-draft process, I told all the GMs and all the front offices that interviewed me that in the re-draft I would go top-five,” Podziemski said. “Some of them looked at me crazy and some of them believed me. And I think being a first-team All-Rookie member, I think that kind of solidifies what I was saying.”
The voting from last season made it clear. A panel of reporters and broadcasters cast 99 ballots for the All-Rookie selections; Wembanyama, Holmgren, and Jaquez were on all 99 ballots. Miller was on 98, and Podziemski appeared on 97.
It’s fitting that Jaquez and Podziemski made the All-Rookie team together because they spent a lot of time together during the process. They were drafted one after the other in 2023—Jaquez at 18 and Podziemski at 19.
Both came from the West Coast—Jaquez from UCLA and Podziemski from Santa Clara. They trained together before their rookie seasons and were also selected for USA Basketball’s Select Team this summer, helping prepare the senior national team for the Paris Olympics.
“I don’t see draft position as the most important factor. No matter where you get picked, you have to go out and perform,” Jaquez said. “A lot depends on fit. Some teams prefer different players. I worked out with Podziemski a lot and knew he would be a challenge in this league.
“We both have plenty of experience playing basketball, and we understand the game at a high level. I believe we can use that to our advantage this year.”
The Heat and Warriors are hopeful this plan will succeed. Jaquez ranked fifth in total points and third in steals among rookies last season. Podziemski was third in total rebounds among rookies, with only Holmgren and Wembanyama ahead of him, and he was fourth in assists.
Additionally, both players will need to fill gaps left by other players leaving. Golden State lost four-time champion Klay Thompson to Dallas over the summer, and Miami lost Caleb Martin to Philadelphia in free agency.
Expectations are high. What that means will become clear over time.
“The speed of growth is different for everyone,” said Golden State forward Draymond Green. “Steph Curry saw his biggest growth between Years 4 and 5; that’s when he really became Steph Curry. LeBron James was an All-Star in Year 2.
“When you look at where both are today, you wouldn’t guess that one was like that in Year 2 and the other became that in Year 5 or Year 6,” Green added. “But that’s just how it goes sometimes because it’s not a straightforward process.”
Wembanyama is already the star player for the Spurs and is expected to help lead the team back to the playoffs soon. Holmgren is a key part of the Oklahoma City team, which has MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and is seen as a serious title contender. Miller looks like a key player for Charlotte as they try to rebuild.
For now, Jaquez and Podziemski are not yet in the spotlight as franchise faces. They are focused on improving, which is all the Heat and Warriors want from them.
“I think an area that I can really improve on is just being solid with my defense,” Jaquez said. “I want to make it as tough as possible for the opponent to take a shot or force them to pass the ball.”
Along with Jaquez and Podziemski, there are other NBA sophomores—besides Wembanyama, who is likely to be in talks for MVP and defensive player of the year—expected to make progress this season.
Some of these players include Portland’s Scoot Henderson, Dallas’ Dereck Lively II, and Utah’s Keyonte George. Moving from Year 1 to Year 2 is a big step, and Podziemski feels ready for it.
“I think I know what’s expected of me,” Podziemski said. “I understand what the league is about, and I know what my teammates expect from me. I’m going in with the mindset that I know my role, and I’m not just trying to figure things out like I did last year.”
