Why Splash Bros ‘love' playing with rookies Jackson-Davis, Podziemski

Why Splash Bros ‘love' playing with rookies Jackson-Davis, Podziemski originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors rookies Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski quickly are proving they belong in the NBA, and their veteran teammates have noticed.

Steph Curry and Klay Thompson heaped praise upon the youngsters after Golden State's 115-104 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, applauding their energy and mindset both on the bench and on the court.

"They bring great energy. They approach the game the right way," Curry told reporters. "That's why we love having them around, and you can throw them in there and they look like they belong. So it's nice to see them play with confidence, play with energy and give us a huge bump, and I'm sure they're only going to get more confident as they go.

"Staying ready is a hard thing in the league for guys like them. You don't know if you're going to play 30 seconds, a minute or eight minutes ... You've got to stay locked in mentally and that's the challenge for them, and they're doing a great job."

After both Jackson-Davis and Podziemski were reassigned to the Warriors' G League affiliate in Santa Cruz on Friday, the rookies were recalled Saturday and made an impact in Sunday's loss.

Jackson-Davis finished a team-high plus-8 in plus/minus rating, tallying five points and four rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench. Podziemski's plus-5 was the second-best mark for the Warriors after starting the fourth quarter alongside Jackson-Davis.

The team missed the pair's we-over-me attitude and energy in Friday's close win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Thompson is happy to have Jackson-Davis and Podziemski's youthful spirit back in the arena.

"Ah man, I love those rooks. They're great," Thompson told reporters after Sunday's loss. "The energy they bring every day is much needed. Trayce was awesome tonight; so was BP. It's just great to have them back in the fold. They're going to be a huge help this year."

After a 2022-23 campaign last season that featured an apparent divide between the Warriors' veteran core and its younger players, it's refreshing to see how well Jackson-Davis and Podziemski are jelling with their older Golden State teammates in their first year.

Because this season, the Warriors are on a mission to reclaim their status as an NBA dynasty -- and they'll need all the help they can get in every facet of the game.

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