SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara men's basketball sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski announced on Wednesday that he will declare for the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility.
A native of Greenfield, Wisc., Podziemski's lone season with the Broncos could not have gone much better. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged just shy of 20 points per game at 19.9 and was the WCC's top rebounder at 8.8 boards per game while also dishing out a team-best 3.7 assists. He is one of just three players in NCAA Division I to average 19/8/3 this season.
Santa Clara.. You changed my life Forever!! It's time to take the next step in my journey ���� pic.twitter.com/s7Ht1Mjsrx
— Brandin Podziemski (@brandinpodziem2) March 22, 2023
Podziemski made history by setting a new school record with four WCC Men's Basketball Player of the Week Awards and was named WCC Co-Player of the Year with Gonzaga's Drew Timme to become the program's ninth athlete to win player of the year honors, and the first since 2008-09 (John Bryant). He was also named the league's Newcomer of the Year, was a first team All-WCC pick and earned All-District honors from both the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Podziemski put up eye-popping numbers throughout the season, finishing with four 30-point games, 15 games with 20 or more points, and 29 double-figure scoring efforts. He led the WCC with 13 double-doubles – the most by a Bronco since Bryant's 15 in 2008-09 – and had a season-high of 38 points against Pacific, which is tied for the 10th-highest scoring game in program history. He pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds as part of a double-double in SCU's regular season home finale against Pepperdine. His best assist count was nine, which was one shy of giving him a triple-double in the WCC Tournament vs. San Francisco.
Regarded as one of the most intriguing prospects of this year's draft, Podziemski's stock has grown exponentially throughout the season. Scouts from the majority of the NBA's 30 teams have attended at least one game at the Leavey Center this season to see the left-handed shooter in action. He is currently projected by most pundits as a mid-first to mid-second round selection.
We're all in your corner, @brandinpodziem2 ✊
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) March 22, 2023
It's your time to shine!#StampedAhead pic.twitter.com/2aUUU74iuA
