We do know he couldn't gaurd in games while he was here. We all witnessed it. He did shoot it pretty well and looked fairly athletic which makes you wander why he struggled on defense. Anyway the move worked out good for him, he flourished at Santa Clara and played his way to a first round pick. Congrats to him.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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Most of those people are on this board so I'm not too worried about the optics.
Yet, he is drafted by the Warriors in the first round. Somebody saw talent in him.
Did you watch any Santa Clara games last year? He wasn't going to solve that problem, that's for sure.
It may just be that Podz improved drastically. Having made the jump from a small HS to B1G play was no doubt a big adjustment. Stepping down to Santa Clara probably allowed him to relax and play his game. Some guys are more comfortable being a big fish in a small pond. What I saw of him a year ago, he didn't look like he would ever be drafted, although I will say that he never looked like the moment was too big for him either (but neither did RJ or Luke). We will see how he fairs in the NBA. I don't expect a lot, but hope he proves me wrong. Seemed like a good kid.
After he took 400+ shots in a season. Which he wasn't going to do at any decent school.
Kid has an NBA quality shot.
You know that for a fact?
Maybe they think he can shoot.
There's no sour grapes. He's not a better ball handler or passer than 50% of NBA guards.
So the same staff that stuck an NBA 1st rounder on the end of the bench also thinks that Ty Rodgers is a high major point guard. 
You're going to get a tummy ache from all that popcorn today
From The Ringer's draft guide on Podz:
Struggled creating advantages off the dribble against lengthier defenders due to his slow first step, limited burst, and lack of length. He also doesn’t have a ball-on-the-string handle, so he tends to get caught in tough spots rather than being able to keep his dribble alive.
What’s his position on defense? He’s a subpar on-ball defender who got roasted by quicker players even when facing lower level of competition. He’s not big or strong enough to defend slower-footed guys, either.
I'm sure Golden State has a plan. The struggles off the dribble is about creating a shot for himself, not about his playmaking. Lots of draft evals saying he's a good playmaker.
If you actually watched him on the court when he was here and came away saying "we need to find a way for him to play" then you are being disingenuous. Plenty of kids get picked in the first round that either have no business being first round picks or spend their careers in the G-league.
Sorry, but a coach's ability to get guys to the NBA is a big part of recruiting. Both positive and negative. I don't know the level of negative recruiting that happens, but this fits right in.
You can call BS all you want, doesn't make it BS. I'm not an insider by any means but I do hear things from time to time.
Well I disagree. I love all of our Illini that you mentioned and I am glad TSJ, Hawk, and Dain are still on the team. I wouldn't assume who our starters are a year out. Things can change and players get better. Players like Podz or Bufkin at Scum are good examples. Podz had one of the most productive seasons in all of college hoops last season. He was absolutely good enough to start last seasonn and not only start but be the best player unless Santa Clara develops better players which i doubt.. He also excelled at the combine and was a first round pick because of it. I am a die hard illini but I won't throw shade at a kid by saying he wasn't good enough to play here when he clearly was and is currently viewed by NBA execs as such. I mean he is good enough to play for the Warriors now but 6 months ago he couldn't here? Can't we just say good luck to him and admit he got away?
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Let it be. He was drafted by the Warriors at #19. Good for him. Nice paycheck. Who on our team has been drafted that high recently?
Yes I watched him a few times. He had good vision, passing and a great shot. Podz would’ve been a better option at PG than anything we had last year. I am not upset at all that he got drafted. I’m happy for him. I just don’t know why some just can’t admit it was a bad evaluation by the staff.
Warriors also drafted Nico Mannion.
Wish Podz the best.
Wish Podz the best.
I'm not a talent evaluator nor do I get paid to be one. BU is ........and he messed this up.
Same staff that won a big ten title that year? Podz wasn't benching 5th year Trent Frazier, Plummer, or Damonte lolSo the same staff that stuck an NBA 1st rounder on the end of the bench also thinks that Ty Rodgers is a high major point guard.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Luckily the PODS have a bit of an antacid effect.....coats the stomach.
Frustrating part is I believe staff likely pointed to Sky and maybe Epps with higher chance of playing time...and certainly more NIL.
Overall I expect Podz had positive experience at UICU, where alot of his personal habits and hard work that led him to success at St Clara and on draft night were honed.
Regardless of our playing time offer, we contributed in some way to his rapid rise,...and I am quite sure there are Illini staff members that he would pick out that made a difference in his player development. Great for him....
All that said, quite sure some on our staff would look back and wish they had a push to "keep Podz" over push to "get Sky" scenario in spring 22.
To follow through on the bolded, neither are 50% of NBA guards.
We have the benefit of hindsight and plenty are making assertions based on that hindsight.
I agree with you that things can change and players can get better, but even still (without the benefit of hindsight) he likely wasn't starting on last year's team. Could he have been a solid bench/rotation guy, sure, but he wouldn't nearly have been as effective against Big 10 opponents as he was the UC-Irvines that he faced at Santa Clara.
The situation a player goes into is arguably one of the most important factors that determines a player's success and is often overlooked. An example that I like using is that if Tom Brady was drafted by the Cleveland Browns then he is likely out of the league by the end of his rookie contract or he is a career backup. Going to NE was paramount to his success. The situation here, with the caliber of opponents the Illini face, and the overall talent level of teammates, I think it's unlikely Podz would have ever been drafted in the first round. I don't think he "got away" as he would likely not be the same player if he had stayed here. As I said before, Podz made a good decision for himself to go to Santa Clara.
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