Brooklyn Nets rookie Drake Powell is the team's only draft pick who did not take the floor at Summer League. The No. 22 pick has been limited for most of the offseason due to knee tendinopathy. However, Powell took a significant step towards returning to game action during Brooklyn's first week of training camp.
The North Carolina product participated in the contact portion of practice on Monday.
“He's been doing a great job. His body looks good. Getting ready to better ramp up and just being cautious,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “He's done a really good job. He's an elite athlete, we believe the best athlete in the draft, so it's exciting to watch him take those steps, and he is putting the work in, for sure.”
Fernandez was noncommittal about whether Powell would play in Saturday's preseason opener against Hapoel Jerusalem. When the rookie wing does return, he'll present one of the most athletic draftees in Nets franchise history.
What should Nets fans expect from Drake Powell during his rookie season?
Powell recorded a 43-inch max vertical leap at this year's combine, the highest among all participants. Measuring 6-foot-6 with a seven-foot wingspan, his size, explosive athleticism and fluid mobility made him one of college basketball's top defenders last season.
The 19-year-old was effective as a three-point shooter with the Tar Heels, converting 37.9 percent of 2.6 attempts per game. However, he was extremely limited outside of his spot-up role. The Nets coaching staff's ability to develop his ball-handling and scoring will be among the team's top storylines during the coming seasons.
“It's been great. Just being able to be a student of the game,” Powell said of his first practices. “I'm still trying to learn different concepts in this new system… There are still some things to learn. It's different being on the sidelines and now being on the court, but yeah, just still taking it day by day. And most importantly, you know, I have trust in myself.”
Fellow rookie Egor Demin has also been limited to start camp. The No. 8 pick is tending to a plantar fascia tear and has not yet participated in the contact portion of practice.
“We have a plan for them, and they’ve been progressing as we’ve wanted,” Fernandez said of Powell and Demin.
