Yet although Powell watched DeRozan’s highlight tapes as a youngster, he’s had another California guard looking out for him for a while, Russell Westbrook. The former UCLA star has taken Powell under his wing and counselled him on everything from navigating college as a student athlete to his impending transition to the NBA. In turn, Powell has modelled his game after Westbrook, massive chip on the shoulder and all.
It’s only fitting that 45 players surpassed him on draft night, making that chip even bigger. You can see that frustration play out when he’s on the court as his level of hustle and will is palpable. It is a trait evaluators often overlook because you can’t place a numerical value to it but it is a skill nonetheless. Fact is, not every player plays with that level of passion.
Westbrook has made it his calling card, and although Powell copies everything from Westbrook’s gun-in-holster three-point celebration to his exuberant screams after dunks, his game actually resembles Dwyane Wade’s. Westbrook only knows one speed as he Sonic the Hedgehogs his way up and down the floor. Although Powell is equally a Tasmanian devil on defence, offensively his game is more about using his athleticism to change speeds and catch defenders off guard with quick bursts. Like Wade, he’s more of a rhythm pull-up shooter than a catch and shoot threat and utilizes his floater in the lane when opposing guards are giving him space because of his blow-by potential.
We're so deep (and because DeMar and Jonas dominate the airwaves) I find myself forgetting about this guy, but he looks spectacular. I really think that most years you'd be more than happy coming out of the first round, lottery even, with a prospect of his calibre.
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