NEW YORK — Drake Powell’s sky-high defensive ceiling makes him a standout boom-or-bust prospect in the Brooklyn Nets’ 2025 draft class. While Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf impressed with their skilled ball-handling and playmaking throughout the scouting process, Powell stood out as the superior athlete, with a clear edge over the group.
Powell, 19, recorded an NBA draft combine-best 43-inch max vertical leap, among the highest in combine history, highlighting his explosive athleticism that previously positioned him as a projected top 10 pick in early 2025 mock drafts. The 22nd overall pick also ranked seventh in the shuttle run (2.79 seconds), eighth in the three-quarter court sprint (3.07 seconds) and 10th in lane agility (10.71 seconds), at 6-5 with a 7-0 wingspan and an 8-7 standing reach.
“Positional size is very important and you guys can see here with your eye test, I would play these guys almost one through four, one through five,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “So that’s a good thing for us. You’ll see length, athleticism, and we’ll keep working on that physicality and communication, that’s one of the things, the multiple efforts, those are the things that we have to be on the same page and that’s my job as a head coach.”
Echoing his fellow North Carolina alum Michael Jordan’s iconic quote, Powell’s “ceiling is the roof,” meaning his potential is limitless. Despite concerns about his offensive consistency, particularly in ball-handling and scoring aggression, his ideal length, mobility and high motor position him as a potential elite wing defender in the modern NBA — a perfect fit for Fernandez’s defensive vision.
Powell joined an elite group as only the fourth freshman to win North Carolina’s Defensive Player of the Year award, alongside Raymond Felton, Marcus Paige and fellow Net Day’Ron Sharpe. Despite limited offensive usage, he averaged 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game and led the Tar Heels in plus/minus 10 times, four more than any other teammate.
“I feel like my defense; that’s mainly just pride,” Powell said. “That’s just something I’ve had since growing up at a young age, playing with my older brother, older cousin, that’s just something that I always took pride in. I think that I can make an immediate impact to help this team be successful. Just do whatever I can to the best of my ability.”
Among high-risk, high-reward prospects, Powell ranks among the more promising. Under Coach Matt Brown at Northwood High School in Pittsboro, N.C., he averaged 17.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game as a senior while shooting 57% from the field, 41% from 3-point range and 82% from the free throw line. However, during his lone season at North Carolina under Hubert Davis, Powell averaged just 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. He started in 24 of his 37 appearances and averaged 25.6 minutes a night.
Despite reduced offensive usage at a high-major program, Powell still made a significant impact, a skill that will be crucial for his NBA transition. His evolution from a high school star to a college role player highlights his adaptability and team-first mentality, qualities that elevate his appeal as a Nets prospect.
“I’d say I just really switched my mentality a little bit,” Powell said. “My usage rate dropped a lot when I got to North Carolina, but I was still playing heavy minutes and was able to help the team be successful. I really could’ve just sulked, just complained to the coaches, but what does that get done? That’s really the way I thought. And so, I just accepted the role I was given with open arms, and I just wanted to play to the best of my ability to help the team be successful.”
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