Drake Powell's Recent Defensive Stretch is Uncharacteristic of a Rookie

The Brooklyn Nets' toughness shone through on Friday night in a clutch win over the Chicago Bulls. Times were tough after a five-game losing streak in which four of the losses were by single digits, but the youngest team in the NBA stayed composed to get back in the win column.

This season has been exciting for the Nets despite their 12-27 record because of how they are approaching this rebuild. It started with a historic five-man draft class in June, and the organization has let its youth eat.

While Egor Demin and Danny Wolf may get more of the limelight at times due to their flashy skill sets, Drake Powell has made a name for himself by doing the little things.

The 20-year-old out of North Carolina only averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 stocks per game during his freshman season, but he got drafted based on his elite athleticism and defensive upside.

From a season-long perspective, Powell has struggled to get his footing while guarding many upper-echelon scorers. Among the 2025 rookie class, he has the 17th best defensive rating with a 114.3 rating, which is below both Nolan Traoré and Demin. The league average defensive rating generally fluctuates between 110 and 115.

Powell is at worst a league-average defender, but he's beginning to use his 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot wingspan more effectively. He's always had great lateral quickness, but his hand activity to get deflections and contest shots has taken him to another level.

we very much enjoy watching @powellxdrake play defense pic.twitter.com/EcH9jaggca
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 17, 2026

In the last 5 games, Powell has an average defensive rating of 110.4, which is the fifth-best mark among eligible rookies.

There are still areas that are in need of improvement for Powell to enter a higher tier of defenders in the league. He is only averaging 0.6 steals per game, most of which come on isolation steals, but he has yet to show great instincts in passing lanes despite possessing the traits necessary to do so.

We'll see if Powell can carry his clutch steal to seal the Nets' win over the Bulls to create more forced turnovers in the future.

He is becoming a defensive nightmare, and that's not even mentioning his continually growing offensive game. Powell is shooting 71% in the paint this season, using his athleticism to finish over defenders.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez and Brooklyn's front office built their draft class around players who are unselfish and work hard. Powell has taken on the challenge as the group's lone wing and symbolized the gritty identity of the Nets going forward.