Illinois Basketball: Brandin Podziemski continues to pile up accolades

Illinois basketball commit Brandin Podziemski got a special surprise at the Milwaukee High School Sports Awards ahead of his college journey.

To say the least, the Illini are landing a special talent in Podziemski, who is from St. John’s Northwestern Academies in Wisconsin. Instead of choosing to stay home, Podziemski remains local and in the Big Ten and will look to carry on a newfound tradition of excellence in Champaign this upcoming winter.

Before he ventures on a new journey, Podziemski earned some accolades after graduating high school around his athletic accomplishments. A high-prestige honor, Podziemski earned the Milwaukee Male Basketball Player of the Year.

This just wasn’t any awards ceremony for one special reason – Kevin Garnett was the presenter. That’s right, the former Boston Celtics standout and NBA champion honored Podziemski and a plethora of other athletes for their accomplishments during a ceremony on June 30.

“Illini Nation, tonight was the Milwaukee High School Sports Awards and [Brandin] Podziemski won and they mention his commitment to the University of Illinois. Here is the link. Forward to 58 minutes and 57 seconds. Kevin Garnett was the presenter,” his dad, John Podziemski, wrote on Twitter.

Illinois basketball got a steal in the 2021 class with Podziemski.

Podziemski committed to the Illini on April 13 and held offers from Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Wake Forest, to name a few. The 6-foot-5 four-star shooting guard was a key recruit for a squad who had just lost two critical pieces after losing in the second round of March Madness to Loyola-Chicago as a No. 1 seed.

Now, the focus shifts to the 2021 season and trying to recapture the magic that the Illini once brought to a fanbase who was starving for a consistent winner for over a decade-plus.

As July officially gets underway, the rest of the Illini offseason is one to watch ahead of a highly-anticipated winter season.