Brandin Podziemski, guard for the Golden State Warriors, will deliver the commencement speech at St. John's Northwestern for the Class of 2026. The school praised his leadership and work ethic in selecting him as the keynote speaker.
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Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) against Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Five years after receiving his degree from St. John's Northwestern Academy, Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski will be returning to the commencement stage as the keynote speaker for the Class of 2026.
In a press release, St. John's Northwestern highlighted Podziemski's work ethic, leadership, persistence, growth and team-first approach as qualities in the school's selection for its graduation address.
"We are honored to welcome Brandin back to campus," said Mike Fink, executive vice president of St. John's Northwestern, in the release. "As a graduate, he understands the values we work to instill in all of our students – discipline, resilience, and a commitment to excellence. His journey reflects those principles, and we know his message will resonate with our graduates."
The commencement ceremony is Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m. at Rick Leone Stadium at Price Davis Field, and is open to the public.
St. John's Northwestern selected Podziemski for his work ethic, leadership, persistence, and team-first approach.
Podziemski will give his commencement speech on April 17, 2026.
The school emphasizes discipline, resilience, and a commitment to excellence as key values for its students.
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St. John's Northwestern Academies guard Brandin Podziemski attempts to keep the ball away from Lake Country Lutheran guard Luke Haertle during a game on Dec. 15, 2020.
Podziemski won the prestigious Mr. Basketball Award from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association in 2021 for a senior campaign highlighted by averages of 35.1 points, 10 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game. He scored 2,154 points in his career, becoming the 44th boys high school basketball player to reach 2,000 in a career.
He began his collegiate career at the University of Illinois. After appearing in 16 games as a freshman, he transferred to Santa Clara for the 2022-23 season. His sophomore campaign provided a breakout opportunity Podziemski would leverage into being the 19th overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Warriors. In the 2025-26 NBA season, Podziemski averaged a career-best 13.8 points per game while playing in all 82 regular-season games for the Warriors.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brandin Podziemski returns to Wisconsin as graduation speaker