This season, Brandin Podziemski is on a mission, and he’s dreaming big.

In the Golden State Warriors’ 119–109 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers to open the NBA regular season, Podziemski made it clear about his lofty goals — even higher than Stephen Curry’s.“I want to be better than him,” the 21-year-old said confidently.

On opening night, Podziemski logged 32 minutes, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal while shooting 3-of-7 from the field and 1-of-4 from deep.

It’s not the first time he’s shown that kind of ambition. During training camp, Podziemski spoke about carrying the torch once Curry and Draymond Green eventually hang it up — hoping to become the next cornerstone of the Warriors’ franchise.

The third-year guard knows he’s still miles away from Curry’s résumé. After all, Curry was already an All-Star by his fifth season and a back-to-back MVP by his seventh. But under the guidance of head coach Steve Kerr, Podziemski believes he’s in the perfect environment to grow.

“I think that’s a tall task,” he admitted, “but I want to maximize my talent in this league and get as much out of it as I can.”