Drake Powell scored 10 factors Tuesday night time vs. the Hornets, going 3-of-9 general and 2-of-6 from deep. Not a very good taking pictures night time however he did add six boards, and it was notable for one factor: it was the primary time all season that the 6’6” guard had put collectively back-to-back double-digit scoring nights after his season-high 16 factors on Sunday vs. the Kings. If you take a look at the 2 video games, 56 minutes, the numbers aren’t dangerous: 26 factors on 9-of-17 taking pictures general, 6-of-12 from deep. And it was his third double-digit scoring sport in 4 video games!
But nonetheless… as Brian Lewis wrote in between these video games, his improvement can finest be described as “tricky.’
“Up-and-down rookie season” is an apt description of Drake Powell’s first yr with the Nets.
Of the Nets’ file haul of 5 first-round picks final June, Powell was probably the most athletic, but in addition probably the most uncooked on offense. His rising pains on that finish of the ground have been protracted and pronounced.
Powell was the most important attain of the 2025 NBA Draft for the Nets. The ultimate ESPN mock draft had him at No. 32, on the prime of the second spherical. Using a Hawks choose acquired the night time earlier than, the Nets took him at No. 22. Of their 4 different picks, Ben Saraf was taken six spots sooner than the ESPN projection; Egor Demin, 5 spots and Nolan Traore three. Danny Wolf was taken 12 spots after the place the worldwide chief than projected him.
The rationale for mocking him so low was easy: After a spectacular highschool profession in North Carolina, he was restricted by Tar Heels head coach (and his cousin) Hubie Davis who noticed him as a defense-first participant which as Lewis famous, led to “a glaringly low usage rate” which in flip has led to reps on the ball “a work in progress” in Brooklyn.
Jordi Fernandez has been encouraging each in giving him minutes — he averaged 25.6 in March, by far his most this season — and in speaking about his enchancment.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Fernández stated his effort following the Kings sport. “He always tries to do everything we ask him to do. Obviously, there’s struggles, there’s positives. [Sunday], it was a little bit of up and down, the game, but ended up being very positive.
“The shot went in, which is fine. And then at one point he was more physical and aggressive defensively. And I want that physicality to be sustained for whatever minutes he plays. [Sunday], he played 28. So that’s how I want him to play, because he missed some long rebounds, some communication, and then he cleaned it up. So, normal. But overall his willingness to do it, I’m very happy with him.”
On the opposite finish of the court docket, Powell, a naturally gifted athlete, has proven potentialities. Indeed, Lewis has unearthed an attention-grabbing reality about his protection:
The Nets don’t have a single good point-of-attack defender on the roster, any individual who can harass and harangue opposing ballhandlers.
The Nets drafted Powell in hopes he may develop into that function. And it’s no coincidence that when he posted a league-best 91.9 defensive ranking in December, the Nets surged to go 7-4 that month.
There is normal optimism in regards to the 20-year-old as his teammate Noah Clowney famous
.“[T]But to see him shooting the ball was always good. Ochai [Agbaji], we know what he’s capable of from 3. I think Drake sometimes gets in — not gets in his head about the 3, but he hesitates a bit. So I’m glad when [the Kings] gave him space, he didn’t hesitate to shoot his s–t at all.”
