Former Northwood basketball standout Drake Powell caught plenty of buzz at the 2025 NBA draft combine last week.
Powell, who measured in at 6-foot, 5.25 inches tall and 200.4 pounds, stood out as one of the combine’s top athletes, finishing first among all participants in the max vertical leap (43 inches) and standing vertical leap (37.50). He also finished seventh overall in the shuttle run (2.79 seconds), eighth in the three-quarter sprint (3.07) and ninth in the pro lane agility drill.
Other measurements included a 7-foot wingspan and an 8-foot, 7-inch standing reach.
In the shooting drills, Powell went 21 for 30 off-dribble and 10 for 25 in spot up. He knocked down 11 of 25 shots in the three-point star drill, and in the three-point side drill, he went 11 for 24. Powell went 10 for 10 in the free throw drill. He did not compete in the combine scrimmages.
In an interview at the combine on May 14, Powell told ESPN that he’s “all in on the draft” and the “door’s closed” on returning to UNC. He also said he’s met with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies during his draft process.
Known for his defensive prowess, Powell said his offensive game is underrated, especially since he didn’t get to showcase it much at UNC. He said he just wanted to do what the coaches asked of him to the best of his ability.
“I feel like I’m the same two-way player that was coming into college,” Powell said.
Prior to declaring for the NBA draft, Powell averaged 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game at North Carolina. He started 27 games as a freshman.
“Hubert Davis has been very supportive during this process,” Powell said. “I’ve known him for a long time, and we’ve built our relationship up. And he’s just happy for me.”
The latest mock drafts since the conclusion of the combine predict Powell as a late first-round or early second-round pick. ESPN’s mock draft released Monday has Powell going 31st to the Minnesota Timberwolves while Bleacher Report’s mock draft also released Monday has him going 28th to the Boston Celtics.
The NBA Draft will be held on June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Should Powell be selected, he’ll become the first Chatham County high school alum to be drafted into the NBA.