Brandin Podziemski has been the surprise egg for the Warriors this season. The 20-year-old rookie has been nothing short of sunshine, energy, and “accountability”. But that does not exempt him from carrying out his rookie duties. While the veterans of the Dubs, or any franchise these days for that matter, aren’t like the infamous rookie-hazing Shaquille O’Neal, some habits tend to die hard.

Starting the year with a 121-115 victory over the Orlando Magic, the GSW reporter for NBCS Authentic, Kerith Burke, talked to the young guard about how the vets have helped him grow. In addition, she questioned if he had been assigned any rookie duties. Maintaining a serious face, Podziemski replied, “I carried Klay’s chessboard, Draymond’s dominoes, just little things like that.” 

He hopes that it remains so going into the new year. There is no doubt that Brandin is one of the favorites of the vets. Draymond Green and Stephen Curry have mentioned their love and admiration for the curious cat that Podziemski is. After the Warriors win against the Clippers at the beginning of December, Curry had affectionately dubbed him as the “annoying little brother” who is ever present with a question.

But he didn’t forget to give him props for the infectious energy that everyone has come to associate with Brandin Podziemski. Green was also all praise for the youngster. “Rookies don’t blow up plays. Rookies f–k up plays. And he doesn’t,” Dray had said.

While the rookies of today are lucky in that department, the same couldn’t be said of the unfortunate souls in the late ’90s.

The rookie hazing of the olden times

Rookie hazing and Shaq go hand-in-hand. No one would disagree with that fact. While there are many versions of the encounters that different rookies had to go through, one incident stands out as a widely agreed story. One that Gary Payton, a teammate of the “Big Diesel” during his stint with the Lakers and Heat, recounts.

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In his interview with VladTV in 2022, Payton speaks about how O’Neal allegedly threw a bucket of what was his bathroom waste that was a week old on rookies.

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But not too long ago, the big man had denied any such claims. At least to some point. In the ‘Big Podcast with Shaq’, he said, “I was mean, and I was dirty, but I wasn’t that dirty, so it’s not true.” He definitely did conjure up creative ways to haze rookies, but apparently, not in such a demeaning manner.

There have been many who have come forward to admit being victims of ‘The Diesel’. Danny Green, Charles Barkley, Kyrie Irving, and many more. Suffice it to say, Podziemski and the rest would be thanking their lucky stars they weren’t born in the Shaq era!

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