OKC Thunder: NBA Draft stock up, stock down report 2.0
By Rylan Stiles
Myles Powell, Guard, Seton Hall
Myles Powell entered the College Basketball season ranked 57th on my NBA Draft Big Board 1.0. It was due to a mixture of “What competition has he faced?” and “Is his game suited for the NBA?” with a little “How will his age (22) factor into his draft stock?” all rolled up into one underrated prospect.
The story of Myles Powell’s big week has to start with the ankles. Ankle injuries are a huge part of basketball at any level. Heck, even going to play ball at the local YMCA is the cause of a ton of ankle injuries. For Powell, it was reported earlier this week he suffered an ankle injury so server that he would miss the remainder of the college basketball season, then it was talked down to just “Multiple games.” ahead of the Pirates battle with the Michigan State Spartans.
Powell ended up playing in that clash with the top-ranked Spartans, and he absolutely dominated. Even while sharing the floor with one of the best teams in the sport, multiple NBA prospects, and in a team loss, Powell was the headline.
The 22-year-old posted 37 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal all on 34 minutes. By far the best performance we have seen this season (that admittedly is still in its infant stages) and gained the attention of a hall of fame coach on the opposite bench.
Michigan State head man Tom Izzo, who has been a college basketball head coach in the sport for 831 games said: “Myles [Powell] is one of the great players I’ve ever seen in college basketball.”
Through three games, Myles Powell is averaging 21 points, on 43 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
So how far did Myles Powell’s stock rise this week? I think he has hopped on a rocketship and launched himself into the early second round. I would be beyond ecstatic on NBA Draft night if the OKC Thunder found a way to grab Powell with that projected 45th pick. Even if the OKC Thunder had to move up a bit to grab him, it would be well worth it at this point.