Draymond GreenForward, Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga Talked Brandin Podziemski Off The Ledge In Recent Game According To Draymond Green

7 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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In a YouTube clip dated January 7, 2026, Warriors veteran Draymond Green recounts a bench conversation from a recent game (not the Clippers game) involving rookie guard Brandin Podziemski and forward Jonathan Kuminga. After Podziemski was taken out of the game, he expressed frustration, asking why he was removed. Kuminga, sitting next to Draymond, responded calmly, telling Podziemski to stay ready, adjust to short bursts of playing time, and keep a positive rhythm. Draymond emphasizes that this exchange shows Kuminga actively supporting a teammate rather than Podziemski “moping” or being upset, countering any narrative that paints Podziemski as disengaged. He also notes that whatever moves happen at the trade deadline concerning Kuminga, the team acquiring him will receive a valuable player.

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Brandon Podziński, last game, not the Clipper game. He comes out the game. When he came out the game, I was sitting at the end of the bench as I always sit in the last seat. J.K.'s right there to my left. He sits right to J.K.'s left. And he go, "Man, why they take me out the game? Hey, I just got in the game." And J.K. goes, "Oh, don't worry about it. Like, it's all good." And he like, "Ah, dang, just can't believe they just took me out." And J.K. goes, "You know, just adjust to it. You gonna go back in. Like, just adjust to it. Stay ready. Like, you'll be good." And he go, "Man, just trying to find a rhythm, J.K. Hey, I just got out the game." And J.K. go, "Yeah, but everybody playing in short bursts. So just adjust to the short bursts and be ready to go when you go back." And B.P. go, "Okay, that's fair." And for me to sit and listen to a 22-year-old sit there and talk another 21, 22-year-old off the ledge, and one guy isn't playing, like not seeing the floor, yet the other guy his age or a little younger is playing, and he's talking him off a ledge. So when people try to say, "Oh man, he moping or hurt." No, no, no, no. That's what I'm watching him do. Whatever happened at the trade deadline, if Jonathan Kuminga's moved, whoever gets Jonathan Kuminga, that's the guy you get. Good.