In this informal interview segment, Brandin Podziemski explains the personal significance of his jersey number 2, tracing it to his father's baseball number and his own affinity for the double‑digit 22. He notes that he kept number 2 with the Golden State Warriors after the previous wearer, Andrew Wiggins, held 22, and he does not plan to switch back. Podziemski then shares a fan‑like suggestion for the NBA: extending the All‑Star break by trimming preseason games and starting the regular season earlier, giving players a true week off. When asked about his mental‑preparation routine, he highlights the role of his close support circle and the use of upbeat, hype‑beat music to get into a performance mindset. The interview closes with a light‑hearted moment where he offers a kid‑friendly palindrome joke—"race car"—demonstrating his playful side.
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Tell me about the origin of the number 2.
Yes, so the new— the number 2 comes from my dad. He's a baseball player like me growing up and wore the number 2. When I was growing up, I always used to go watch his games and watch him play, and I wanted to be like him. And so honestly, my favorite number is 22. Because 2 for him, 2 for me, and we just put them together. So it was 22. So that was my favorite number. That's what I tried to get every year, high school and college. But when I came here as a rookie, Wiggins had it, 22. So I was like, I'll just take number 2. And so I just been rocking with it since. All my clothing, my shoe stuff, it makes sense to just keep it at 2. So we're going to keep it with that.
Now that you have like established 2, would you go back to 22 if you get a chance?
I don't think I would because I had the opportunity. This summer to take it. But I was just like, everything I've built so far with the Warriors has been with number 2. So just keep it the same.
So one of the things is, you know, when you've been in the league for a while, you have a certain amount of powers that you can do what you want to do. So if you're the commissioner of the NBA, what do you want to see change?
I think something I've thought about is just extending the All-Star break. I tell people it's funny because it's called All-Star break, but the All-Stars get the least amount of break. So maybe if we can eliminate a few games off the preseason schedule and start a little bit earlier the regular season and I'm able to get a, you know, a week off for All-Star break, I think that'll help.
For you, when you get into, you know, to get into a mental space, what do you use? Is it music, inspiration? How do you find yourself into that space where you know you want to perform at your best? How do you get there?
Yeah. I think, like you said, it's all a mentality. It's a mindset. But I have great people in my corner, in my circle that I talk to and help me with little certain things that I can do and just remind myself in this position I am and how grateful I am to be in the position. But I think a thing that I go to a lot is just music. Music, you know, calms the mind.
Now, is there a certain kind of music you want, like more high beat, depends on if you're getting—
I think it's always hype beat for me. Like, I'm always up-tempo, I'm always ready to go. But yeah, hype beat for me is always what it is.
All right, so last thing, could you tell a joke? Any joke for kids, just funny joke.
Joke?
Yeah, no pressure if you can't do it. Just any kind of silly joke, doesn't matter.
All right, I mean, this is not a joke, but it's a real question.
Okay.
What word It's spelled the same way forwards as it is backwards. Do you know?
