After a bumpy rookie season, the Brooklyn guard is hitting the weight room to transform his frame, sharpen his perimeter shooting, and master high-IQ defensive positioning.
It is a summer of growth for Brooklyn Nets guard Drake Powell, who is spending most of his time in the weight room building strength to complement his athleticism and improve his game.
Powell's rookie season wasn't glamorous, but he showed promising flashes. His athleticism popped in the fast break or attacking closeouts, but his three-point shooting and off-ball defensive awareness were glaring weaknesses.
He shot 28% from three and struggled to finish at the rim over lengthy defenders. Powell is attacking those weaknesses with a purpose this offseason, starting in the weight room.
"But, I say the main thing was the weight room, just trying to build some muscle, get stronger and just add to my athleticism, just being able to move well on the court," Powell told the Nets Wire at summer league practice. "I'd say definitely finishing at the rim, as well as getting up more threes, and then I'd say getting to the paint, making the right reads for my teammates."
The Nets' front office, coaching staff and fans will witness his improvement throughout summer league, starting on Friday. He is on the summer league roster and will see action against the Sacramento Kings to kick off the California Classic.
Improving as a three-point shooter aids Powell immensely. He shot 37.9% during his lone freshman season at North Carolina, and that percentage forces defenses to hard close out on Powell. It creates an advantage for the 20-year-old that he didn't have often last season.
His comments on making the right read for teammates are interesting. It suggests he's attempting to capitalize on any advantage he creates. Powell had a 15.5% usage rate last season, meaning he isn't a natural on-ball guard.
Making the right reads increases his value on the floor significantly, especially if he can shoot above 35% from three. Powell then becomes a high-IQ role player who can bend defenses with his athleticism and get his teammates involved.
As for Powell's off-ball defensive awareness, improvement is focused on understanding floor positioning and keeping his head on a swivel. Maintaining awareness of his assignment position helps prevent him from getting lost and allows a backdoor cut.
Powell's glaring weakness prevented him from having a solid rookie season. His flashes of athleticism are nice, but on a team with talented guards, he must become a rotational player.
Improvement is now or never for the former Tar Heel, and summer league is his best opportunity at proving himself.
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