By Robert Haugh
Santa Clara University (SCU) star Brandin Podziemski, known for his shooting, rebounding, and tough defense, was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the No. 19 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Podziemski, a former four-star recruit, made a significant impact at SCU. He earned West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors alongside Gonzaga’s Drew Timme.
Podziemski is a 6-foot-4 combo guard who transferred from Illinois. In his sophomore season, he averaged impressive stats of 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
Recognized as one of the top shooters in this year’s draft, Podziemski shot an impressive 44 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
This is the second year in a row that SCU basketball has produced an NBA first rounder.
Jalen Williams starred for the Broncos last year before being picked 12th in the NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Prior to Podziemski and Williams, it was 26 years ago when an SCU basketball player was selected in the NBA’s first round.
The Phoenix Suns drafted Steve Nash in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft. He played at SCU from 1992 to 1996.
