Playing in arguably the biggest game of his short NBA career to date, Brandin Podziemski once again stood up in proving one of the Golden State Warriors' best in their 120-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day.
The do-it-all guard again impacted in a plethora of ways, stuffing the box score with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a career-high five steals. Podziemski was also the only Warrior starter to record a positive plus-minus as the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson struggled in the six-point defeat.
Brandin Podziemski is already considered one of the steals of the 2023 NBA Draft, with one analyst claiming the Golden State Warriors' guard could go third in an early redraft
Podziemski was taken 19th overall in June's draft, with the 20-year-old already proving a major steal for Golden State less than 30 games into his career. While evaluating rookies so early can be fraught with danger, that hasn't stopped a notable analyst from making a huge claim regarding the Santa Clara product.
The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor believes Podziemski could go as high as third overall, and no lower than seventh, if a redraft were to be completed. That's quite the rise that correlates with Podziemski's impact and the reputation he's building around the league.
Where does Brandin Podziemski go in a 2023 NBA re-draft today?
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) December 25, 2023
I'm thinking as high as 3rd and not any lower than 7th. A lottery lock for sure, so Podz is looking like a steal for the Warriors as the 19th pick. pic.twitter.com/an8JU8DNNy
Since entering the starting lineup seven games ago, Podziemski has averaged over 30 minutes per game for a head coach in Steve Kerr who's often been hesitant to place such trust in young players.
During that span, Podziemski has averaged 10.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals, shooting 43.9% from the floor and over 35% from three-point range. He's also second on the team in plus-minus behind Chris Paul over the last seven games, with the Warriors having had a resurgence with a 5-2 record.
While many fans considered O'Connor's statement as a hot and rather absurd take, the fact Podziemski's even in such a conversation is credit to a rather remarkable rise that's continuing in front of our very eyes.
With he and 57th overall pick Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Warriors have two selections that could prove franchise altering -- a rare double act from picks that usually garner very little, particularly so early in their NBA careers.