BROOKLYN, N.Y. (WNCN) — North Carolina freshman Drake Powell was selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
The 6’6″ wing from Northwood High School in Pittsboro was picked at No. 22 by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
In his lone season in Chapel Hill, Powell was sixth on the Tar Heels in scoring, averaging 7.4 points per game. But his real impact was on the defensive end, where he tallied 29 steals and 25 blocks across 40 games.
As a high school player, Powell made first-team all-state in 2023 and 2024. During his senior season at Northwood, he averaged 17.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.