NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets rookie forward Drake Powell has had the typical kind of rookie season where he had fair share of ups and downs as he adjusted to the NBA. Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez has been trying to find the best starting lineup that he can put out on any given night and he recently took some time to explain starting the rookie.
“Drake did an amazing job last game, we believe he can be not just a good but a great two-way player, which means that, you know, he’s going to be a very good defender,” Fernandez said prior to Friday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Powell entered the starting lineup for Monday’s 113-105 loss at the Dallas Mavericks and it seems like he’s going to remain in the starting five for the time being.
Advertisement
“I see him as a very good shooter, a very good playmaker, I can run plays for him on the second side, he can handle in transition, he can guard the best perimeter player, his athleticism is top in the NBA for his position,” Fernandez continued. “I just want more consistency, and I want more from him, and I keep demanding that. Starting is not a guarantee, he’s going to have to keep trying really hard and have the good intentions.”
Powell, 20, is averaging 6.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range in 28 games played this season. Over the last two games, Powell has looked like the kind of player that can make an impact on both ends of the floor for the Nets, despite the fact that Brooklyn finished with an 0-2 record over that stretch.
In his last two starts, Powell is averaging 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 55.0% from the floor and 22.2% from deep in 24.5 minutes per game. More to the point, Fernandez is seeing what he wants to see from the former North Carolina Tar Heel and that explains why Powell remains in the starting lineup for Friday’s matchup against Chicago.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Jordi Fernandez explains putting Drake Powell in starting lineup