Brooklyn Nets rookie Drake Powell made his NBA debut in his home state on Wednesday. The former North Carolina wing played seven minutes during a 136-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, posting two points and two rebounds while converting his only shot attempt. While Powell continued to show promise, he sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter.
Powell remained in the game initially but was unable to continue playing. The 19-year-old intentionally fouled before limping to Brooklyn's bench. While the severity of the injury is unclear, the Nets ruled Powell out for Friday's home opener vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Drake Powell sidelined by ankle sprain following Nets debut
Powell missed the majority of the offseason due to left knee tendinopathy. He was the only Nets rookie who did not play at Summer League. However, he returned during Brooklyn's pair of preseason matchups with the Phoenix Suns in Macao.
The 6-foot-6 wing made an immediate impact against Phoenix, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from three in 14.5 minutes per game.
Powell was among the nation's top defenders during his lone college season. He was widely regarded as the top athlete in this year's draft class, recording a 43-inch max vertical leap, the highest at this year's combine and the 14th-highest in combine history.
Brooklyn will be looking to improve its defense after a putrid showing on Wednesday. The Nets allowed the Hornets to shoot 48-of-90 (53 percent) from the field and 17-of-36 (47 percent) from three. They were outscored 18-0 in fastbreak points during the first half and 23-5 for the game.
Rookie big man Danny Wolf missed Brooklyn's season opener after injuring his ankle during a shootaround on Wednesday. The Nets ruled Wolf out for Friday's Cavs matchup.
