A short clip from the Golden State Warriors’ preseason win over the Los Angeles Lakers has put Brandin Podziemski in the middle of a familiar NBA debate: where does inspiration end and imitation begin? The moment lasted only seconds, but fans quickly noticed a resemblance to one of the franchise’s biggest stars.
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The timing made the discussion even more interesting. The Warriors had just committed $110 million to Podziemski, their young guard coming off the best regular season of his career. And when one fan pointed out the resemblance, a member of another NBA family had a response ready.
A fan account, @ST0L3NBYVAND0, posted the clip with the caption, “podz wanna be steph so bad im crine 😭😭.” Teroya Eason, mother of Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason, replied, “And they gave him 110 million reasons to🤷🏾♀️.” Her one-liner tied the comparison to Podziemski’s new contract, turning the viral moment into a joke about the Warriors’ investment in him.
The extension, agreed upon on October 10, is a five-year, $110 million fully guaranteed deal. It also includes a mutual option for the fifth season in 2031-32 and a trade kicker. Golden State secured the agreement before the October 19 rookie-extension deadline, keeping a player it sees as an important part of its future.
The timing is notable because Podziemski is coming off a career-best 2025-26 campaign. He averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists across all 82 regular-season games, starting 43 of them. Those numbers show why the Warriors were willing to make a long-term commitment to the 2023 first-round pick.
The clip itself shows Podziemski with his mouthpiece hanging from his mouth during a dead-ball moment against the Lakers. Stephen Curry has long been known for chewing on his mouthpiece during games, and fans saw a resemblance in Podziemski’s mannerisms. However, there is no verified evidence that Podziemski was deliberately copying Curry in that moment.
The two guards do share a basketball connection beyond the viral clip. Coach Steve Kerr has explained why Podziemski’s skill set works alongside Curry, pointing to his ability to handle the ball, pass and shoot.
“The way I always evaluate players is the dribble, pass, shoot process and he does all those things. Puts it on the floor. He’s a good 3-point shooter. He’s a good passer, and he processes the game really well. Anybody who does those things is going to be a good asset for you, regardless of the lineup. But when you have those types of qualities next to Steph, it unlocks Steph’s ability that much more.”
Podziemski offered another reminder of his value against the Lakers on October 13. He scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded two assists in 26 minutes as the Warriors won 101-89. Curry finished with 11 points, while Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg each scored 17.
Golden State still has work to do before the regular season. After the win, Kerr said, “We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be,” pointing to scattered execution and a lack of flow and recognition on offense. The victory was encouraging, but the coach made it clear that the team needs to improve.
For Podziemski, the contract brings expectations alongside the financial reward. The Warriors are backing his development and believe his skills can help Curry. Whether fans see his on-court mannerisms as a tribute or simply a coincidence, Teroya Eason’s response ensured that his new deal became part of the conversation.