Apparently, UNC basketball freshman Drake Powell’s summer performances, including the 6-foot-6, 195-pound forward’s recent performances at the Nike Skills Academy in Portland, Oregon, have caught the attention of NBA scouts and draft experts alike.
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Powell, a five-star McDonald’s All-American forward out of Northwood High School in nearby Pittsboro, N.C., has been listed on several websites as a projected late lottery pick in 2025 or just outside No. 14 overall. But in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft this week, Jonathan Wasserman ranks the 18-year-old – he turns 19 in three weeks – at No. 5 overall.
Wasserman outlined what NBA people and UNC basketball fans will surely like about Powell’s game:
“Drake Powell gained some valuable experience this summer at Jayson Tatum’s Elite Camp and the Nike Skills Academy. He will have a real chance at a starting spot with more versatility on both ends than North Carolina wingers Ian Jackson and Cade Tyson. Head coach Hubert Davis will be able to slot Powell into multiple positions and roles. He is extremely versatile and can make good plays both with and without the ball with his pull-ups, passing, improved catch-and-shoot game and athleticism. Powell will make his mark this upcoming season by impacting games in different ways.”
Again, Wasserman is certainly not the only one who has noticed a significant increase in Powell’s perceived pro value during the offseason. No, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony also highlighted the celebrated Tar Heel rookie’s skills at the Nike Skills Academy earlier this month:
Excellent performance from UNC’s Drake Powell in the Nike Academy, showing an impressive blend of defensive versatility, intensity, passing and confidence from distance. Influenced the win in a variety of ways and has plenty of room for improvement in the long run. pic.twitter.com/ljoT2as00o
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) 8 August 2024
The only other UNC basketball player in Wasserman’s mock draft who was only selected in the first round is another member of the Tar Heels’ 2024 recruiting class, McDonald’s All-American guard Ian Jackson, taken 28th overall.
