Brandin Podziemski is ready to make a splash at the NBA draft combine, thanks to a little help from another local sharpshooter

MEQUON - Most of the space in the hangar-like gym at The Facility is being taken up on a Thursday morning by enthusiastic indoor pickleball players.

Brandin Podziemski doesn't seem to notice them at all. The 2021 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball is locked in on the rim on a corner basket.

Former Marquette star Travis Diener, a co-owner of The Facility with Steve Becker, keeps feeding Podziemski pass after pass, and the 6-foot-5 sharpshooter with textbook, left-handed mechanics keeps dropping in shots with a metronomic rhythm.

This has been Podziemski's life since the former star at St. John's Northwestern Academies declared for the NBA draft in late March after a breakout season at Santa Clara. He's up at 6 a.m. most days to prepare for the NBA draft combine next week in Chicago.

“One day a week, we give me a later start, maybe 8 or something, just to let me sleep in a little bit," Podziemski said. "6:15 (a.m.) we’re over here, usually a ball-handling workout until 7:30. Then at 7:30 I go work out with Steve (Becker) in the weight room.

“Then I’ll go home for a little bit, eat, come back. And then a court workout, shooting workout with Travis, and then it’s usually track or pool after that."

Podziemski, who is maintaining his NCAA eligibility as he goes through the pre-draft process, is also finishing his classes at Santa Clara virtually at night. He's been like a basketball monk for the past weeks.

Antonio Curro, Podziemski's former AAU coach with Phenom University-Team Herro, has another comparison as he watches Podziemski drain jumper after jumper.

"Some of it was just getting him back to his roots where he can go to work every day," Curro said. "Kind of like, I hate to say it, a Rocky IV type of situation where you got to get into your level of discomfort and go to work every day."

Podziemski getting some draft buzz

Curro has helped guide Podziemski on his meteoric rise.

“You talk about 33 months ago, no (scholarship) offers, and since then, look at what he’s become as a player," Curro said. "He’s just starting to hit his stride."

Podziemski's story is familiar to local basketball fans. He went from not making the varsity as a freshman at Muskego to averaging 35.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4.0 steals as a senior. His recruitment was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but drew the attention of blue-blood schools. He signed with Illinois, but playing sparingly as a freshman.

After transferring to Santa Clara, Podziemski became co-West Coast Conference player of the year. He was one of just three NCAA Division 1 players to average over 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game.

Broncos head coach Herb Sendek let Podziemski thrive as an on-ball creator in pick-and-roll situations. Podziemski's skills at reading defenses – and his 80 for 179 shooting (44.7%) on three pointers – attracted NBA scouts.

"Coach did a really good job of repping me through it the whole summer," Podziemski said. "Reps and reps and reps and getting better.

"At the beginning of the season, I was OK at it. I could see some stuff. But then at the backside of the year I was able to see everything, just knowing that if I come off a ball screen, someone is always open."

Travis Diener lending his expert advice

Diener was happy to help when Curro asked the former MU star to work with Podziemski.

"I like the things that you can’t see in a workout," Diener said. "That you can see in a game. The intangibles.

"I think he’s a winner. I know he has high character and a high basketball IQ. And he can shoot the (expletive) out of it. In any era, but moreso today, if you can shoot I think there’s always a place for you.”

Diener was a heady guard himself, and he played five seasons in the NBA before a long career overseas.

"It’s been great," Podziemski said. "A great mind to talk to just because he’s been through it and has been in the NBA."

They've incorporated some three-on-three and five-on-five action in the past few weeks to get ready for the games at the combine. But the shooting sessions have been almost daily.

“With a kid like that, or any kid that’s as skilled or as talented as him, you can pretty much try or do anything," Diener said. "Because he’s so skilled. It’s fine-tuning his mechanics.

"You can tell, his shot looks great. Tightening up his handle. In the weight room, getting more explosive. Things like that. There’s always something to get better at. For these college kids, you can’t really get better individually (during a season) because you’re confined to the team. But the last six weeks just been getting ready for next week."

Podziemski gets ready for NBA draft combine

Podziemski can solidify his draft status with a strong showing next week in front of scouts and team executives at the NBA draft combine in Chicago.

"I feel more like an excited nervous," Podziemski said. "Just because you dream about doing this. But I’m one of the those people, I don’t really get really excited or pumped for it until I’m really there."

Diener was the 38th pick in the 2005 NBA draft thanks to a strong showing at the combine.

"For me, I was coming off a broken hand," Diener said. "So I couldn’t do Portsmouth (Invitational for senior draft hopefuls) and I was anywhere from not getting picked to didn’t matter.

"So the combine was extremely helpful. I think in a lot of ways it will help him because guys will get to see him play. These guys will be able to see his IQ and his competitiveness."

It's the same thing Curro noticed when Podziemski joined a talented Phenom team that included Patrick Baldwin Jr., now with the Golden State Warriors.

"Whatever the drill was, 95% of the time he’s No. 1 in the drill," Curro said. "Like, when you shoot for a minute and somebody makes 13, 14. He’s making 17.

"We shoot for two minutes, he’s constantly No. 1 in the drill. Then we do the track, whether it’s the 40 (meters), whether it’s the 60 or 200 or 400, he’s winning every one. So I think it was his innate ability to just compete and always be at the top."

As Curro talks, Podziemski starts draining catch-and-shoot jumpers from NBA three-point range. Curro isn't surprised. This is what Podziemski has done every day for the past six weeks.

"A lot of guys say, hey, I declared and now I made it," Curro said. "He knows he hasn’t made it yet. But he’s on the path toward his dream right now."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brandin Podziemski prepares for NBA draft combine with Travis Diener