Where might O-Max Prosper, Brandin Podziemski end up in NBA draft? Here are some predictions.
Believe it or not, some drafts had Marquette's Olivier Maxence-Prosper available in the final throes of the June 22 NBA draft, though his stock has risen substantially in the pre-draft circuit, and he's now seen as a first-rounder by many.
Where might O-Max, a 6-foot-8 Montreal native, end up on draft night?
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports puts him 27th to the Charlotte Hornets. "Prosper emerged as a real first-round option thanks to a wonderful performance at the combine," Parrish wrote. "He has a 7-1 wingspan and can be a versatile defender thanks to a motor that runs full-speed."
Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer compares Prosper to P.J. Tucker and puts Prosper at 23 to the Portland Trail Blazers. "Bolstering the wing and forward spots with someone like O-Max should be a priority for the Blazers, regardless of what they do with their lottery pick," O'Connor said.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony puts Prosper on the Utah Jazz with the 28th pick. "Prosper had perhaps the single best performance at the combine, dropping 21 points and seven rebounds in just 22 minutes of action, mostly through pure hustle and activity," Givony wrote. "He fits a clear mold NBA teams are actively pursuing with his defensive versatility, 7-1 wingspan and budding perimeter shooting, causing him to keep his name in the draft after strong feedback."
Kyle Boone of CBS also has Prosper at No. 28 to the Jazz. "Prosper played so well on the first day of scrimmages at the combine that he pulled out of the second day, showing so much as an energetic combo forward that he likely solidified himself as a top-30 pick in this class," Boone wrote. "A really athletic, long forward who can shoot and impact winning with effort.
Yahoo! Sports is less bullish, with Krysten Peek putting O-Max at No. 38 to Oklahoma City.
What about Wisconsin native Brandin Podziemski?
Podziemski is far from a consensus first-rounder, though Boone put the former St. John's Military Academies player at No. 25 to Memphis.
"One of the big winners of the NBA Draft Combine, Podziemski, coming off a breakout season in which he won Co-WCC Player of the Year honors at Santa Clara, goes No. 25 here as a plug-and-play combo guard who can add scoring, playmaking and toughness right away," Boone wrote.
Podziemski, a 6-4 sophomore, first attended Illinois before spending last season with Santa Clara.
More: Nine names to consider for the Milwaukee Bucks with their pick in the upcoming NBA Draft
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where might O-Max Prosper, Brandin Podziemski end up in NBA draft?
