And if we held on Brandin Podziesmki the Jalen Williams of this Draft 2023? This player whose rating in the eyes of the NBA franchises exploded during the Draft Combine, to the point of being chosen in the first round the following month in the Draft. Because beyond sharing the same university as the super “rookie” of the Thunder, namely Santa Clara, the point guard candidate for the Draft, like “J-Dub” last year, has actually done himself a great service by participating in the Draft Combine workshops in recent days, in full view of most league leaders.
” It’s just fun, really, I don’t want it to end », he said this Thursday. ” It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I’m taking full advantage and getting the most out of it. »
The native of Wisconsin would have been so convincing in recent days in Chicago that Jonathan Givony, the “Mr. Draft” at ESPN, now places him in 31st place on his “board”, at the gates of the first round. A match with 10 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds having particularly marked the spirits.
Strong showing at the NBA draft combine for Santa Clara’s Brandin Podziemski. Did a nice job of blending his scoring and passing making great reads out of pick and roll and hitting tough shots off the bounce. pic.twitter.com/ArImTJTyAP
—Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 17, 2023
” I just wanted to show that I’m a real playmaker. A good player who can shoot, and not just a shooter who can do other things added Brandin Podziemski, whose outside shooting is indeed very good (43.8% on 5.8 shots this season). ” But I really see myself first and foremost as a leader at the top level. I master the intangibles, and I wanted to show it. Because everyone already knows that I can shoot. »
“NBA ready” also by the mentality: the “Mid-Major” effect
Big shooter also capable of being an “all-around” player, Brandin Podziemski is above all a big competitor. It is in any case what Jonathan Givony retainsexplaining that “ many observers in the league regard Podziemski as one of the most aggressive players in this class. And he cemented that reputation in Chicago, where he took every workshop seriously. »
And the main interested party to detail his mentality.
” If I’m healthy, I can and I want to play. Because you don’t know how long you can play. So I just wanted to be on the field, and let my game speak. “, he assured, he who evolved in a “Mid-Major” (a university which does not belong to one of the six major conferences of the first division NCAA, editor’s note) in Santa Clara. ” It’s all about opportunity and ‘fit’, at the right time. There are a lot of guys who come from a “Mid-Major” [au Combine]. It doesn’t surprise me anymore, it’s becoming frequent. It doesn’t matter what school you come from. The most important thing is talent, and your ability or not, at the end of the day, to play in the NBA. »
In summary, Brandin Podziemski leaves the Draft Combine with certainties, after an excellent week under the eyes of the decision-makers of the NBA clubs. Among these certainties, that of being surely chosen in the Top 35, and perhaps even well in the first round, while his rating has skyrocketed.
” They tell me I’m ready to play [en NBA]. They praise my mastery of the intangibles, the efforts that are not seen in the boxscores “, he concludes, about the “feedback” received. ” These are satisfactory feedbacks. »
