After barely playing during his freshman season at Illinois, Podziemski broke out during his sophomore season after transferring to Santa Clara. He was a star for the Broncos, averaging 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.5 threes per game. However, what may end up being most impressive is his motor. Podziemski is a smart, active defender that is able to disrupt plays throughout the game, which is part of what led to him nearly averaging two steals per game. He joins a Warriors squad that is clearly in "win-now" mode, but the skill set is varied enough to where Podziemski can be more impactful than Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga were during their respective rookie campaigns.