Lucas: Born And Bred

By Adam Lucas

Every year, Carolina Basketball newcomers sit down for introductory interviews in advance of their Tar Heel debut. The purpose is simple: give fans an opportunity to get acquainted with their newest favorite players.

By now, there have been dozens. But even with so many already completed, Drake Powell managed to pull off a first this fall.

The freshman from Pittsboro was discussing his goals for his first season as a Tar Heel.

"I want to win the national championship as well as the ACC championship," he says. "I want to build good relationships with my teammates, not just as basketball players but off the floor."

You have heard these sentiments before. But then he continues: "And I want to build good relationships with the managers as well. I want to let them know we're not just coworkers but also friends. I like building relationships and meeting new people."

And with that, Powell became the first highly ranked future Carolina superstar to ever include the overworked and underappreciated managers in his preseason goals.

He can't help it. That's just how Dedric and Cherice Powell raised him. And they also raised him to be a Tar Heel, because Dedric played baseball at UNC and Cherice was an outstanding high school basketball player who also attended Carolina.

So well before his official visit, Drake—the youngest of three siblings, including former Virginia Tech and UConn volleyball player Cera and former Louisburg basketball player Deuce—already knew his way around Franklin Street. But that didn't mean he was a lock to commit to Carolina. Even his Tar Heel parents made it clear he should choose the school that was the best fit for him, and the one where he felt the most comfortable.

A breakfast with Hubert Davis showed him that he was already well acquainted with that place. "When I went to breakfast with him, he was asking me questions about what was going on with my family, movies I'd seen recently, and how school was going," Powell says. "He asked about stuff outside of basketball, and I feel he genuinely cares about me as a person."

His adjustment to college basketball has largely been smooth. Powell has been one of the most talked-about Tar Heels over the summer, with onlookers raving about his unique blend of athleticism, skill and competitiveness. He's not just an offensive weapon; there have been times in practice when he's been matched defensively against point guard Elliot Cadeau, forcing the UNC point guard to work against a 6-foot-6 defender with long arms and quick feet.

The sight of Powell getting into a passing lane and swiping a cross-court pass on the way to a dunk at the other end is likely to become a familiar one. He makes an impact in many more ways than just scoring, as evidenced by his first college appearance in the exhibition win over Memphis on Tuesday. Powell was just 1-for-4 shooting, and he missed both of his three-point attempts. He picked up a couple of rebounds and handed out an assist.

But the gaudiest number in his box score was at the very end, where he logged +14 in the plus-minus category, meaning Carolina increased the lead by 14 points when he was on the court. That was the highest figure on the team, even higher than Seth Trimble with his 33 points (+12) or Elliot Cadeau with a points/assist double-double (+13).

With approximately two weeks remaining until his regular season debut on Nov. 4 against Elon, Powell still breaks into a wide smile when he recalls the first time he walked into the locker room and saw the locker with his name on it.

He couldn't resist—he had to take a quick photo and send it to his family's group chat. Their reaction was very similar to the entire rest of the Tar Heel fan base that is eager to see what their homegrown prodigy might accomplish as a freshman.

"They loved it," he says. "They're ready to see what I can do."

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Elliot Cadeau

Drake Powell

Seth Trimble

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