Athleticism and a High IQ Have Made Nets' Drake Powell a Valuable Role Player

Powell was never the brightest star during his time in college, but was taken in the first round by Brooklyn based on his intangibles.

Nov 29, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Drake Powell (4) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Oftentimes, averaging seven points per game in college won't get you drafted into the NBA, let alone as a first-round pick. Drake Powell defied normal trends at North Carolina by doing the little things that contribute to winning.

Powell will rarely lead the team in scoring –– his career-high with the Brooklyn Nets is 15 points –– but he impacts the game in so many other ways that make him deserving of minutes.

Playing time didn't come immediately for the 20-year-old rookie this season, but by the ninth game of the season, he was consistently getting 20 minutes a night. Powell has yet to see his first career start, making all 18 of his appearances off the bench.

It's hard not to play a young guard who has the physical and athletic traits that he possesses. Powell's standing and max vertical led all players at the NBA Draft Combine, and he also has a 7-foot wingspan that makes him a pesky on-ball defender.

On the defensive side of things this season, Powell is top 10 in total steals among rookies. Once he can start using his length and leaping ability on offense, his confidence will skyrocket.

For now, his athleticism will continue to make waves on the defensive end. Powell opened up December with a career-high three steals in a win against the Charlotte Hornets. More importantly, those takeaways led to four fastbreak points, finishing one himself and lobbing another to Michael Porter Jr.

Powell isn't all gas no breaks, however, the athletic guard can change speeds effectively and has a high IQ for the game.

For someone who is primarily an off-ball player on offense, his decision-making with the ball in his hands has been surprisingly good. Powell's primary strengths as a scorer come from beyond the arc, but he can get downhill into the paint and either finish off two feet or find the open man.

One of the most underrated aspects of his game this season has been his playmaking. Powell averages 2.1 assists per game despite only having a 14.6% usage rate. The ball doesn't stick when it hits his hands as it does with several other young players in the league.

Powell plays at his own pace and is a low mistakes type of player due to his quick reflexes and strength with the ball in his hands. This is the floor for the type of player he is going to be for the Nets, leaving plenty of room to grow into an all-around threat deserving of a bigger workload.