Illinois freshman guard Brandin Podziemski has decided to enter the NCAA Transfer portal, according to multiple reports on social media and confirmed by Podziemski on his Twitter account.
"I have officially entered the transfer portal! I’d like to thank my teammates, the coaches, the fans and the University of Illinois for this past year," Podziemski tweeted.
A lefty wing known as a solid spot-up shooter, the 6-foot-5 Podziemski becomes the third Illinois player from this past season's roster to leave the program.
A former top-70 national recruit in the Rivals150 rankings, Podziemski played in 16 games this season and averaged just 1.4 points per game.
A highlight of his season was at Northwestern in January when Podziemski scored five points, including a late three-pointer to help the Illini beat the Wildcats.
Podziemski's decision to enter the Transfer Portal means that Illinois has now lost every member of their Big Ten Championship winning backcourt.
Trent Fraizer, Alfonso Plummer and Da'Monte Williams all exhausted their eligibility at the conclusion of this season.
Despite losing all four guards, the Illini are set to bring in a recruiting class that features Skyy Clark, Jayden Epps and Sencire Harris - three guards who are all ranked in the Rivals150.
The Illini are also pursuing transfer options to bolster the backcourt. Names mentioned prominently include Texas guard Courtney Ramey and Texas Tech wing Terrence Shannon Jr.
Podziemski originally committed to Illinois in April of last year over offers from Arizona State, Kansas, Kentucky, Miami (Fla.) and DePaul among others. He averaged 35.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4.0 steals as a senior at St. John's Northwestern Muskego, Wis.
He was named 2021 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and was the state's Gatorade Player of the Year.
The third Illinois player to announce his transfer following the 2021-22 season, Podziemski joins center Omar Payne and point guard Andre Curbleo in the Transfer Portal.
