The Chicago Bulls will have their choice of a handful of mid-lottery prospects to choose from when they get on the clock in late June. Derik Queen has been linked to Chicago time and again, and Collin Murray-Boyles and Khaman Maluach could also be in play at pick 12. What about a quickly rising prospect that was once considered a fringe first-round player?
UNC star Drake Powell linked to Bulls
By most big boards, Drake Powell is a late first, early second-round prospect. He’s 38th on Tankathon’s Big Board. He’s 32nd on ESPN’s. He’s 35th on Yahoo! Sports‘. He’s 21st on The Ringer’s board. CBS ranks him the 24th best prospect. There’s a wide array of potential outcomes for him come draft time.
But a great combine has him skyrocketing up some teams’ big boards. Possibly including the Bulls. K.C. Johnson said if the Bulls do forego a center for a guard, it’ll be a big guard who can play multiple positions. “One guy whose name is rising a little bit is Drake Powell,” Johnson said. “The toolsy prospect out of North Carolina.” Powell had one year at UNC before electing to enter the NBA Draft. He remained in after last night’s deadline.
The analyst cited Powell’s exceptional athletic testing at the NBA Combine. He also noted that the player interviewed very well at the combine with several teams. Johnson admitted, “He’s projected in some mock drafts in the second round. I’m not sure he can rise all the way up to 12, but I’m told that he was very, very impressive.”
Johnson also noted that Powell has some interesting ties to the Bulls. He would not be the first UNC guard drafted out of North Carolina in recent memory, as Coby White was a one-time Tar Heel like Powell. The White family and Powell family evidently know each other, so there’s a strong connection in the potential backcourt for the Bulls.
Johnson finished, “It’s early, we’ll see where this goes, but I know that the Bulls were, from what I’m told, impressed with his first workout” with the team.
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