It is about time! No more dancing around it, the Brooklyn Nets have had a murky, often non-existent defensive identity for the past years. It has been one of the franchise's most glaring flaws, and it has cost them, over and over. Every blown lead and every late-game collapse traces back to one consistent problem that has been haunting them, which is they simply could not get stops when they needed them.
That is what makes the selection of Drake Powell at pick No. 22 feel so different, and, honestly, refreshing. For once, Brooklyn picked a guy who actually addresses what has been holding them back in defense, effort, and accountability.
Powell is a 6-foot-6 guard with a 7-foot wingspan, and he plays defense like it is personal. He seems to always be active and locked in. That may sound basic, but for a Nets roster that has lacked that kind of defensive backbone, it is exactly what’s been missing. He does not treat defense as the “other side” of the floor, for him, it is the standard. That alone gives him a chance to break into the rotation early.
Brooklyn’s defense has not been pretty to say the least
Brooklyn finished last season with a defensive rating of 115.4 which ranked them 23rd in the NBA. That is not just a bad number, it is a number that will not cut if you want to make progress. Powell changes that. Drafting him is the clearest sign in a long time that the Nets are finally serious about building a team that does not just score, but competes on both ends.
He is not a finished product.
There is no beating around the bush that his shot needs some work. He averaged just 7.4 points at UNC and didn’t consistently space the floor. But Brooklyn is not starving for another shot creator especially since they have got Cam Thomas. What they did need was someone who sets the tone defensively and holds teammates to a higher standard. Powell fits that mold perfectly.
There is a reason ESPN’s Jeremy Woo labeled him as “the best on-ball defender” amongst the 2025 draft prospects. If you were to watch the tape, it is not hard to see why. Overall this is a bet on defense. For a franchise that has been stuck in neutral since the superstar Harden-Durant-Irving era collapsed, it is the first real step toward becoming something new.