The ongoing NBA 2K25 Summer League is highlighting what the league is set to look like in the not-so-distant future! With the youngest of the aspiring players taking the lead, the series is witnessing several new faces making a mark for themselves. For the Golden State Warriors, who have remained undefeated with a 4-0 score, a 25-year-old G-League has been leading the charge through his back-to-back dominance. His recent performance even earned him some praise from off the court by Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. However, when asked, the player would choose to not take the credit to his name but rather pass it on to two young members of the main Warriors roster.

During the Warriors’ recent matchup against the Phoenix Suns, Daeqwon Plowden engaged in a Q&A session with ESPN reporter Cassidy Hubbarth. When discussing his success up till this point, the G League star credited the entire offense of the Warriors lineup for creating opportunities to efficiently score. Due to this, Plowden felt that he was just “in the right place at the right time.” Furthermore, the player felt that he was at an advantage when playing alongside the likes of Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

“Those are our leaders” Plowden added. “They set the tone for us, they show us…. they remind us that what the standard is. They bring that every day, and so them going out and doing the best, and being our leaders, showing it unequivocally, and out there on the court, it shows all of us.”

After a memorable rookie season, that earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team, Brandin Podziemski was expected to be one of the highlights of the Summer League Series. While he did not appear in the first two games, he did lead his team to victory during the previous matchup against the Sacramento Kings by adding 15 points to his overall score. His recent matchup saw a slight improvement on the scoring side as well, with the player accumulating 16 points through his 4-10 field goals, 3-6 three-pointers, and 5-5 free throws.

Trayce Jackson-Davis himself has come a long way. After being selected as the 57 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the young star defied expectations by emerging as a leading scorer during the regular season. The recent matchup saw him put up 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists.

No matter how much Daeqwon Plowden would diminish his contribution under the guise of humbleness, there is no denying the fact that his performance against the Suns was nothing short of memorable. By putting up a score of 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, he not only emerged as the team’s lead scorer but also of the entire game. During the 3 quarter, as he grabbed a quick rebound and immediately proceeded to drop the ball hard through the hoop, Warriors General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. couldn’t hold back his praise. Taking aback at the sudden shot, he proceeded to state “Wow, doing things like that…”.

Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis had a memorable scrimmage against Team USA: “We played hard, we brought it to them”

How would one fair when put up to play against the elite roster that is highly favored to bring the Olympic gold medal this year? Both Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis found out the answer by themselves. The duo were recently selected to be a part of the Team USA Select Team, which allowed them to train alongside the elite Team USA roster that will head to Paris in two weeks for the 2024 Summer Olympics. During the training camp held in Paris, the main team and the select team were pitted against one another as part of two competitive scrimmages.

Despite going up against some of the best that the NBA has to offer, the select team held their own and lost their second game by only a score of 74-73. Recalling the competition faced by him, Trayce Jackson-Davis stated “It was pretty high, not going to lie. Coach Kerr came in the day before and was like, ‘I want you guys to kick our bu**s.’…We played hard, we brought it to them.”

Both Jackson-Davis and Podziemski had the support of Stephen Curry when competing in the NBA regular season. However, this time, not only was Curry on the opposite team, but he also had the support of stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, etc. If the young players ever needed to prove their worth, then now was the time.

“I think it was a super fortunate opportunity that me and Trayce got to be a part of — playing against the 12 best players in America,” said Podziemski.  “Can’t get anything better than that. Just being a part of that, being competitive, trying to bring the best out of them so they can win the gold in August.”

Having gone up against the elite of the elite, the Summer League may turn out to be no competition for these two “leaders.”

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.