When Jalen Williams was drafted # 12 last year by the Oklahoma City Thunder, he became the second Bronco since Steve Nash to go from being an unknown to a breakout star in the NBA. It would be difficult to be more "under the radar" for Nash and Williams playing for Santa Clara. Is Brandin Podziemski the next undercover breakout talent and a "one and done" for the Broncos?
The current media chatter at the NBA combine is trending upward fast with his early projection mid second round (40th or so) to now as high as #18 according to the Bleacher Report mock draft.
For those not familiar with the combine, it's a tryout where NBA scouts and teams determine which of the 78 players are draft worthy and where they could be picked. It all starts with a crazy number of physical measurements and tests and ends with two days of on court scrimmages where players are evaluated on everything.
So far for Podz, the physical tests have gone well. Vertical jump, how high can you sky, T - 6th at 39.0". Shuttle run, how fast to you shuffle backwards and forwards around obstacles on a floor. Measures speed, burst footwork and agility: T-5 at 3.09 seconds. For reference, both of the above are as good or better than Jalen last year; who was also at the top in those stats. There's everything from body fat measurements to standing reach, hand width/size, bench press and on and on.
While those stats matter, the real deal is the shooting tests and full court playing sessions. Show what you can do against your draft class AND individual selected matchups on the court. It's about showcasing your basketball I.Q. and the range of things you can do to help a real NBA team win. As expected, Podz has done well in his first set of "shootout" drills.
I think the 5 on 5 play is where Podz will stand out. He can do a lot besides fill it up from everywhere. If Drew Timme wasn't in his like 9th year at Gonzaga, Brandin was hands down the POY in the WCC. He had more rebounds, the same number of assists, similar number of steals, and points. All as a guard. Impressive.
5 on 5 Scrimmage Results
In Wednesday's scrimmage, Brandin was the Brandin we saw at SCU; filling up the stat sheet with his all around play. He was heralded as one of the standouts from day one by several scouts who wrote recaps from the day.
His line for the day:
In 21 minutes: FG: 40%. 3pt FG: 40%. 10 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, no turnovers and 2 steals. Comments from scouts were that he surprised them with his on ball play, easily moving in the open court and finding teammates for open looks with his ability to make reads and crisp passes for baskets. His work off screens was equally impressive including hitting an eye opening three from the deep corner. One scout said, "he was easily the best all around player on the court and validated his projection as a first rounder."
The Thursday 5 on 5 was more of the same with Brandin pushing the ball up the floor and finding teammates for easy looks. He also dropped a bomb from half court to end the first half.
Our coaches in attendance weren't surprised at all and feel he showed his full range of athleticism and skills. Prior to the combine, feedback from scouts expressed doubts about whether his athletic skills were at an NBA level. Heads turned with his 39" vertical jump, and a near triple double in the Wednesday scrimmage. IMHO Brandin also stood out as a team player, not forcing shots and unselfishly distributing the ball. Other prospects had a "me first" attitude and tried to score one on one nearly every possession. A bad look.
All in all, a great start under huge pressure.
Next up is the Pro Day in Santa Barbara where more testing and evaluations occur; followed by more measuring and workouts with specific teams. Don't be surprised if the Oklahoma City Thunder take a hard look at Podz. He is a combo guard they lack in their rotation although he may not be available when the Thunder might want to pick him. BTW, his agent already has two players on the OKC roster - Chet Holmgren and our own Jalen Williams....
One thing for sure - Brandin absolutely "measured up" at the combine as an NBA caliber player.
A proud day for Brandin and Santa Clara Basketball!
