Northwood basketball’s Drake Powell is gaining more national attention ahead of his senior season.
In the updated 2024 ESPN 100 rankings released on Thursday, Powell rose 15 spots to No. 12 on the list of top prospects.
ESPN ranks the UNC commit as the second-best 2024 recruit in North Carolina behind Duke commit Isaiah Evans from North Mecklenburg High School.
Among 2024 shooting guards, Powell is ranked third in the country by ESPN.
Last season, Powell averaged 18.6 points, seven rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for the Chargers. His play helped the team win its fifth regional championship and reach its second state title game in three years.
It’s no surprise Powell is rising in national rankings because he hasn’t stopped playing well since the end of his junior campaign.
Powell stayed busy over the summer, further displaying his talents for Team CP3 at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. He was named to the Peach Jam All-Second Team in July after averaging 16.6 points, 10 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Powell is known for his ability to score in many ways — whether he’s using his athleticism to blow past defenders and finish at the rim or pulling up for a mid-range jumper.
Powell is also a solid defender who can contest layups in transition as well as create turnovers for transition points.
Already set on UNC, Powell can only improve and rise even higher as a top prospect should he provide consistently good play like he has for Northwood the past three years.