Drake Powell

Drake Powell is an athletic and competitive wing with a wealth of tools that translate to both ends of the floor. He has good positional size at over 6-foot-7 with shoes on, very long arms, and a naturally sturdy frame that is only going to continue adding muscle. He’s an elite athlete who runs and jumps well, plays high above the rim, and can also slide his feet laterally. Finally, he’s hyper-competitive with the high-motor to maximize his physical gifts.

Powell’s combination of size, length, physicality, and lateral quickness gives him a unique blend of defensive attributes, and that’s already an identity that he embraces. He’s fully engaged on that end of the floor, calling out the opposition’s plays, and typically defending the other team’s best player. He projects as being a very versatile, multi-positional defender and is already a good wing rebounder who snatches balls above the rim.

Offensively, his game is still a bit of a work-in-progress. He’s not yet the high-volume scorer or primary creator that we typically associate with five-star prospects, but there are nonetheless clear tools and signs of progress. He’s probably most effective in the open floor right now as he will run lanes hard and finish emphatically above the rim. He can rise-up for mid-range pull-ups in the half-court and could also be well-utilized in catch-and-rip situations. He needs to keep polishing his handle, and learning to attack lower to the ground, but is nonetheless still able to get into the lane some and already a pretty good passer.