Nets’ Drake Powell Could be Biggest Sleeper in 2025 NBA Draft

After making an NBA-record five first-round selections in the 2025 NBA Draft, Brooklyn Nets fans will have plenty of new names to get familiar with. But among the group, perhaps the most underrated is Drake Powell, who spent one season with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

While his collegiate averages of 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game may not jump off the page, Powell’s athleticism and efficiency offer hope that he can develop into a productive two-way player.

At the 2025 NBA Combine, Powell showcased his freakish athleticism by posting the highest standing vertical (37.5 inches) and max vertical (43 inches). Last season, he shot 48.3% from the field and 37.9% from three-point range.

While he wasn’t a focal point of the Tar Heels’ offense last season Powell made the most of his opportunities when given the chance. In an overtime matchup against Michigan State, he scored 18 points while shooting 77.8% from the field and 66.7% from three-point range. Later in the season, he added 17 points and four rebounds while shooting 66% from deep in a win over SMU.

In his pre-draft scouting report, NBA insider Kevin O’Connor compared Powell to New York Knicks wing Mikal Bridges, noting that Powell’s athleticism and physical tools give him the potential to become a reliable two-way role player.

"Powell has a chiseled frame that he uses to barrel into defenders at the rim and to contain opponents when he’s on defense," O'Connor said. "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."