Brandin Podziemski's bet on himself paid off on Thursday.
The 2021 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball from St. John's Northwestern Academies was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 19th pick in the NBA draft.
"I think I bring a lot to the Warriors," Podziemski told reporters after getting picked. "I think in the NBA I could be a triple-double guy. I dribble, pass and shoot at a high level. Competitor, toughness."
Podziemski joins a team that won the 2022 NBA champion and features sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson . There are also several Wisconsin connections with the Warriors .
"I'll be playing alongside the two best shooters in the world," Podziemski said. "People question my defense. I get to play against Draymond Green , all-defensive player, Gary Payton (II), all-defensive player.
"The room for improvement is right there and it's right in front of me. So I'm really excited to be a part of this organization. I think I'm a perfect fit for them, and they're a perfect fit for me. I want to win a championship this year."
It has been a meteoric rise for the 6-foot-6 Podziemski over the past three years. He had garnered some attention as a sophomore in high school, but what should have been a breakout summer on the AAU circuit with Phenom University-Team Herro in 2020 was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A hastily assembled AAU season in the fall ignited recruiting interest and soon Podziemski was being courted by blue bloods Kentucky and Kansas. He chose to play for head coach Brad Underwood at Illinois.
After finishing with more than 2,000 points at St. John's Northwestern Academies, Podziemski expected to play as a freshman with the Fighting Illini. But he ended up playing just 69 minutes, and Podziemski transferred for his sophomore season.
He found the perfect fit at Santa Clara and head coach Herb Sendek. Podziemski thrived with the ball in his hands and drew attention from NBA scouts with a sweet, left-handed shooting stroke. He shot 43.8% on 5.8 three-point attempts per game.
"It's all about opportunity," Podziemski said in May. "For kids in the portal, I would say go where you're wanted and you're going to get the opportunity to show those skills."
Podziemski declared for the draft in March and came back to the Milwaukee area to train with former Marquette sharpshooter Travis Diener .
Podziemski boosted his stock in the pre-draft process. He showed his playmaking skills at the NBA combine and continued to impress teams in workouts with his shooting ability.
"They say I'm ready to play," Podziemski said at the combine. "They love me, they love the things I bring besides scoring. The intangible stuff that doesn't show up in the box score."
A player with Wisconsin ties has been picked in every first round since 2019: Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole in 2019, Tyrese Haliburton in 2020 , Jalen Johnson in 2021 and both Johnny Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr. last season .
It is also the second straight year a player from Santa Clara was selected in the first round after Jalen Williams went 12th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder last year.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brandin Podziemski is selected by Golden State Warriors in NBA draft
