Report: Josh Giddey impressed Warriors most in one area

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It sure sounds like the Warriors seriously are considering Josh Giddey with the No. 7 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft.

Golden State executives were in attendance when the 6-foot-8 guard/wing from Australia recorded 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in an exhibition game against Nigeria (who are coached by Warriors assistant Mike Brown) earlier this month.

"What most impressed Golden State, per a source, was Giddey’s poise against a team loaded with NBA players," The San Francisco Chronicle's Connor Letourneau writes.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer has the Warriors snagging Giddey in his most-recent mock draft.

Various reports have suggested that the Memphis Grizzlies -- who recently traded up to No. 10 from No. 17 -- are very high on the 18-year-old.

"Probably the guy with the highest IQ in the draft besides Cade Cunningham," ESPN's Jonathan Givony said Tuesday on the Lowe Post podcast. "Elite at doing all the little things -- cutting, getting deflections, blocks, rebounds, making every pass in the book, every read you want out of pick-and-roll."

Giddey was named the NBL's Rookie of the Year in 2020-21 after averaging 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.1 steals over 28 games last season for the Adelaide 36ers.

He shot 42.5 percent overall, 29.3 percent from deep and 69.1 percent from the free throw line.

RELATED: Hypothetical Warriors-Grizzlies trade analyzed on Lowe podcast

"I love Josh Giddey as well," ESPN's Mike Schmitz said on the same Lowe Post episode. "I was out in Vegas and watched a three-hour Australian national team practice. It was Giddey vs. Joe Ingles, it was Giddey vs Matisse Thybulle.

"Matthew Dellavedova was on the floor, and Giddey was the best passer in the gym. And no slight to Joe Ingles, it wasn't really even close. And he was playing with this confidence and this edge that you really don't always see from 18-year-old guys.

"Thybulle -- we know how good of a defender he is -- and he (Giddey) looked really comfortable."

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