KOC believes ‘steal' Podziemski would go No. 3 overall in NBA re-draft

KOC believes ‘steal' Podziemski would go No. 3 overall in NBA re-draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Sixteen teams passed on Brandin Podziemski in the 2023 NBA Draft before the Warriors selected the 6-foot-4 guard out of Santa Clara with the No. 19 overall pick.

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor believes that might have been a huge mistake for those teams. Through the first 30 games of the 2023-24 NBA season, Podziemski has impressed thus far in his young career -- so much so that O'Connor believes if there were a re-draft on Monday, Dec. 25, Podziemski wouldn't have to wait 18 selections before hearing his name.

While the Warriors played their Christmas Day clash against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena, O'Connor posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he believes Podziemski would go "as high as" third and no lower than the No. 7 selection.

O'Connor also referred to Podziemski as a "steal" for Golden State after the rookie fell to the No. 19 selection.

This season, Podziemski has played 23 games and recently earned a spot in the starting lineup to replace a struggling Andrew Wiggins. Over the last seven games, the rookie is averaging 10.8 points on 43.9-percent shooting, with 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 and 2.1 steals in that span.

His five steals in Golden State's loss to the Nuggets on Monday made him the first Warriors rookie with four or more steals in a game since Klay Thompson in 2012.

Podziemski also joins Ben Simmons, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall as the only NBA rookies over the last 15 years to tally 13 or more points, nine or more rebounds, six or more assists and five or more steals in a single game as he finished Monday's contest with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals.

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