Dream Fit: Pacers, Thunder, Spurs

Overall Grade: 59.92

Projected Position: PF/SF

Strengths:

• Good space denial over screens

• Quick change of direction

• Does a good job staying lateral on movement allowing him to change directions easily

• Good movement with players on drives staying on their hip well

• Good awareness of screens

• Elite athleticism

• Good hands in passing lanes

• Good physicality defending drives

• Quick repositioning when players go back over screens

• Very versatile defensively

• Good extra passes making quick decisions

• Good help drops off screens

• Good use of athleticism to secure rebounds at their apex

• Solid push shot

• Good hand usage in press

• Good lob threat & has shown flashes in the short roll

• Solid shot blocker

• Great hang time on rim shots allowing him to finish through contact

Weaknesses:

• Incosistent lateral speed

• Goes to questionable mid range pull up with some regularity without being able to create space

• Clunky handle with limited ability to create space

• Struggles to navigate traffic on drives

• Can force going over screens

• Relies on athleticism to finish around the rim, but lacks size & feel to finish consistently

DRAKE POWELL

just a warning, I believe he should NOT be entering the draft this year.

Position/Archetype: Defensive Minded Wing

College: UNC

Pros:

• POA Defence: Guards 1-3, doesn't get beat a lot with his quick lateral movement, the highest quality part go his game and by far the easiest translation, its the main piece for his game. Had an 107.9 DRTG this season and definitely projects to be a strong on ball defender at the next level.

• Athleticism: Bounces off both feet extremely well leading to some nice highlight blocks and dunks you may have seen, he's also very quick and has good lateral quickness as previously mentioned, athleticism is always great when looking at raw prospects like this guy.

• Catch and Shoot and general scoring efficiencies: has been efficient from the field and from 3 this year, primarily used as an off ball mover who cuts and takes spot up threes, where he's been able to shoot 37.9% for the season.

• Roleplaying Qualities: Connective passing is good, reads the game pretty well offensively on that side, knows where he's moving to get open shots, stats would represent a strong role-player if they fully translate. Effort player for sure.

• Age: Lot of room to improve for a very young freshman who will gain a lot more experience over the next few years.

Cons:

• Volume: Played 25MPG which isn't bad but took less than 6 shots a game, 2-3 threes a night, this makes it really tough to project how his shot will translate to the game and definitely needed to be more aggressive throughout the season, thats why I can't fully buy into the shooting efficiency.

• Self-Creation: Pretty much non-existent other than driving to the basket, I don't think it's gonna be. totally necessary skill for him to be a good NBA player but definitely lowers the ceiling of his game.

• Off Ball Defence and STOCKS: Low blocks and steals this year and isn't a smart off ball mover, has a lot of issues that will have to be worked on in the NBA most likely while in the G League.

• Free Throw shooting: Im not always the biggest fan of using free throws as a value to determine Three point shooting consistency at the next level, I usually prefer it when determining how it will progress but he shot a low 65% the year at the line, thats a lot of missed points and tells me that maybe threes aren't gonna necessarily be there for his early years in the league.

• Project Player: I've mentioned this prior, I think he should return and try get his NIL up and be used in an offence more and just clean up the little nags in his game that I struggle to see furthering his game, if he does that hes gonna jump really far on my boards and my projections next year. If he stays in the draft he will most likely be a G league player Long term and need a lot of development.

NBA Pro Comp: Isaac Okoro, Nassir Little

Projection: End of Bench impact player, who can swing games based on shooting

CHEESE FINAL BOARD RANKING: (coming soon)

https://youtu.be/Hlm95kJQz0I?si=dmDjMODyjOOsJ_eQ

Last Ranking: 28

Trend: UP

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Elite athlete and perimeter defender. Will be very good on the glass for UNC this season. Offensively, his game still needs work, but he certainly has the potential to be a consistent scorer.

NBA Comp: DeMar Derozan

Comp: Isaac Okoro/Nickeil Alexander-Walker

• extremely versatile defender w/ a chiseled frame and decently long wingspan

• super coordinated defensively; elite core strength, rarely loses position, and has great active hands yet maintains composure

• doesn’t seem to ever leave his feet too early

• could be stronger, may struggle in the contact battle against bigger opponents early on, but only 19 and already a good athlete

• not much of a scoring threat at all; finishing could improve and the jumper is currently erratic

• moves well without the ball and has good offensive feel

• jumps too early at times on the drive/avoids contact too often

• solid handle and good use of body to protect the basketball

Powell has a chiseled frame that he uses to barrel into defenders at the rim and to contain opponents when he’s on defense. He’s a switch-everything defender who plays with a high motor, and if his spot-up jumper translates he checks all the boxes to be a 3-and-D role player at a minimum.

Pros:

At-rim finishing

Spot-up Shooting

Connective playmaking

Defensive versatility

Cons:

Limited Shot Creator

Defensive Playmaking

Comparisons: Mikal Bridges, Isaac Okoro

TBC

Athletic 6'6" guard with defensive chops. Give him time and he'll give you effort.

Great length and a quick first step.

Needs to round out his game, can't create for himself or for others if challenged athletically.

Offense just not there yet, he's got the tools, but so raw.

A great help defender and perimeter stopper in most cases. Quicker and bouncier than almost anyone.

Should go back to college to try to gain confidence and find his place in an offense. (but he didn't)

The draft combine really shifted the tides on his draft chances. We knew he was athletic and long, but he ended up with a 7' wingspan, the highest standing (37.5") and max vert (43"), and top of the board agility.

He's a big project, but give him time and he'll impact at least once side of the ball.

Comp: Ryan Dunn

Super raw, not ready for the NBA, should have stayed a bit more in college. Really long and with a great potential in defense. A long shot that will need some time.

NBA comparison : Isaac Okoro