Drake Powell sat out the home opener with an ankle injury
Brooklyn Nets newcomer Drake Powell made his NBA debut in his home state on Wednesday. The former North Carolina wing played seven minutes in a 136-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, recording two points and two rebounds while making his only attempt. While Powell continued to show promise, he sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter.
Powell initially stayed in the game, but was unable to continue the game. The 19-year-old was intentionally fouled before limping to the Brooklyn bench. Although the severity of the injury is unclear, the Nets ruled Powell out for Friday’s home game against Cleveland Cavaliers.
Drake Powell is sidelined with a sprained ankle after his Nets debut
Powell missed most of the offseason with tendinopathy in his left knee. He was the only Nets rookie who did not play in the Summer League. However, he returned during Brooklyn’s preseason games with the Phoenix Suns in Macau.
The 6-foot-6 wing made an immediate impact against Phoenix, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from three in 14.5 minutes per game.
Powell was among the nation’s best defenders during his lone college season. He was considered the best athlete in this year’s draft class, recording a maximum vertical jump of 43 inchesthe highest at this year’s combine and the 14th highest in the history of the combine.
Brooklyn will look to improve their defense after a rotten game on Wednesday. The Nets allowed the Hornets to shoot 48 of 90 (53 percent) from the field and 17 of 36 (47 percent) from three. They were outscored 18-0 in quick points during the first half and 23-5 for the game.
Rookie big man Danny Wolf missed the season opener in Brooklyn after injuring his ankle during Wednesday’s shooting. The Nets waived Wolff for Friday’s game against the Cavs.
2025-10-24 01:20:00
