Drake Powell was the only Brooklyn Nets rookie not to appear at Summer League. The No. 22 pick was limited for much of the preseason due to tendinopathy in his left knee. However, Powell has progressed to participating in scrimmages at training camp.
Michael Porter Jr. has been impressed by the rookie wing's athleticism.
“I’ve been really impressed with him. I had just seen him in the weight room kinda doing some rehab, so I didn’t realize the athlete he was, but he’s probably one of the most athletic dudes I've seen,” Porter Jr. said. “Just in terms of speed up and down the floor, vertical, move laterally. He’s a freak athlete, and then he has a foundation to keep building on his skillset. He’s obviously very young, very raw, but he’s comfortable in the mid-range, he’s knocked down a few threes a scrimmage… I just feel like with his frame and his height, if he keeps focused, then he can just keep elevating.”
Michael Porter Jr. said Drake Powell is "one of the most athletic players he's seen":
“I’ve been really impressed with him… He’s a freak athlete, and he has a foundation to keep building on his skill set. He’s obviously very young, very raw… but with his frame and his… pic.twitter.com/bU96EcWJY7
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) October 1, 2025
Powell was arguably the most impressive athlete at this year's scouting combine.
Drake Powell turning heads with athleticism at Nets training camp
The 19-year-old measured 6-foot-5.25 barefoot with a 7-foot wingspan and recorded a 43-inch max vertical leap, the highest among all participants in Chicago. Among the 73 players who tested, Powell ranked seventh in the shuttle run, eighth in the three-quarter court sprint, and 10th in the lane agility test.
Powell's elite athleticism served him well on the defensive end at North Carolina. The freshman wing was effective while routinely guarding the opposing team's top players. Offensively, he shot 38 percent from three on 2.6 attempts per game, but was limited outside of a spot-up role.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez said Powell won't play in Brooklyn's preseason opener on Saturday but is expected to debut during Brooklyn's trip to China next week.
