2. Brandin Podziemski
Some thought taking Podz at 19th overall was a bit of a reach. He was ranked 79th in his class coming out of high school and played under five minutes per game as a freshman at Illinois. He broke out after transferring to Santa Clara, but it would be a massive leap in competition to the NBA.
It did not matter. In his first game, the 6’5 wing grabbed eight rebounds in 22.8 minutes in a dominant win over the Pelicans. The second time he got extended run, Podz went for 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. It was clear from that moment that he belonged in the rotation and was going to be a key piece for the Dubs.
Since November 14, the 21-year-old averaged 9.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 0.9 steals in 28.2 minutes per game. Golden State has a deep backcourt, but they must find significant run for Podz. During that stretch, he shot 45.3 percent from the field and 38.3 percent on his threes.
By win shares, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Podziemski rank second and fourth in the 2023 draft class, despite being taken 57th and 19th. The Dubs did an outstanding job, and teams would line up if they made either rookie available on the trade market.