The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is now one day away. As the start of this two-day event nears, there's a consensus brewing among pundits about who the Boston Celtics will select on Wednesday.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony recently added himself to those sharing a forecast of what the 18-time NBA champions will do if they stand pat and select at pick No. 28.
However, before his latest mock draft, Givony had Boston taking Drake Powell in the first round. While he has since changed his stance, he still sees the former North Carolina Tar Heel becoming a Celtic. It will just have to wait until day 2.
What Drake Powell brings to the table
Powell, who measured above six-foot-five barefoot at the NBA Combine, is a defensive menace. He has a seven-foot wingspan and a 43-inch max vertical. He's an elite athlete with the length to guard positions one through four. His high-revving motor helps him make the most of that versatility.
At the other end of the floor, Powell got miscast and didn't get nearly the amount of touches one would expect for such a highly touted prospect. However, in the long run, that could benefit him.
Operating in that role forced the North Carolina native to sharpen his feel for the game and improve as a connector.
An athlete of Powell's caliber having that two-way foundation is an encouraging starting point.
The concerns about Drake Powell's game
Teams should feel good about betting on Powell's defensive versatility and what he can provide at the end of the floor. However, his three-point shooting is his swing skill. Whoever drafts him must have confidence in their ability to help mold him into a more consistent shooter.
There are also concerns Powell isn't aggressive enough offensively. Getting relegated to watching some of his teammates run the show as a raw freshman was at the root of that. His inconsistencies as a shooter likely factored into that as well. Regardless, it's another area he'll have to prove himself to earn minutes at the next level.
The former Tar Heel can slash his way into the paint, where the playmaking feel he developed in college will come in handy. He also has the tools to develop into an impactful player on cuts.
However, there's no shaking the significance of his swing skill. What the future holds for him as a three-point shooter will set his ceiling.
Is Drake Powell a fit for the Celtics?
The concerns about him as a shooter might lead one to think the answer to that question is no. However, Boston needs an infusion of athleticism.
Getting a player with his defensive upside and motor is worth bringing into an organization with a strong track record in player development. In what could prove a gap year as Jayson Tatum rehabs his torn Achilles, there should be minutes available for a raw rookie with Powell's potential.
As Givony's latest mock draft suggests, it's also reasonable to bet he's available when the Celtics come on the clock at pick No. 32, provided they don't move off that selection. If he's on the board at that point, Powell's worth gambling on.