Bulls Draft Prospect Profile: Drake Powell

Jim Dedmon - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Wednesday, June 04 2025

With the NBA Finals right around the corner, the NBA offseason is nearing and will be here before we know it. As exciting a time as that can be for many teams, it's hard to get excited about the Chicago Bulls' offseason, as they have been stuck in neutral for quite some time. Sure, there are important pieces for the Bulls to retain, with Josh Giddey being the most crucial piece, but apart from him, several trades could be made to drastically change this team's look next season.

Along with what is going on in free agency comes the NBA draft, where the Bulls are picking no.12. When asked about how he wants to build up this roster, President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas has said he would love to model the Bulls after the Indiana Pacers and how they build up their roster. Retaining Giddey will be the biggest key to that, but the Bulls will need to improve their defense if they want to have a shot at becoming the next Pacers team.

Looking at some potential draft pieces that could help this team compete in both the short and long term, North Carolina Wing Drake Powell is a name to keep an eye on, as he has been turning heads throughout the pre-draft workout process. Going even farther, and there are even more reports that Powell could be coming back for a second workout, given how well the first one went. When that happens, it usually means a team is targeting you as one of their top prospects.

KC Johnson has been extensively around the Bulls' facility this Spring and has seen firsthand how Powell fared during these workouts. Johnson had this to say about what Powell showed the Bulls organization.

"This is a guy who tested very well athletically at the combine and interviewed, I heard, with multiple teams very well at the combine, and was actually at the Advocate Center this week for his first workout. He might come back,” Johnson said on The Chicago Lead. “Now, he’s been projected in some mocks in the second round. I’m not sure he can rise to 12, but I was told he was very, very impressive at the Advocate Center in workouts.”

The end of that statement is the key to all of this, as he isn't expected to be a first-round pick, let alone the No. 12 pick. However, he may also be one of those players who were initially seen as a second-round pick but have performed well enough to move into the first round. Could this be a case where the Bulls might reach for a player, rather than risk him not being available later in the draft?

That could be the case, but if that happens, the Bulls need to ensure the risk is worth the reward if they reach for him. There isn't much to go off of; Powell is another one of those one-and-done players who didn't perform as well as many thought he would for North Carolina last season. Across his 37 games with the Tar Heels last season, Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

He did that while also shooting an encouraging 37.6% from long range, and that alone is something the Bulls need. Combine that with his 6-6, 195-pound frame, and you can see the potential he has as a player, as he possesses great athleticism and length, and has drawn comparisons to Julian Phillips.

Phillips is still a raw talent searching for his role on the Bulls, but he did show massive improvement last season, which was an encouraging sign for the Bulls and the future of their roster. Regardless of whether Powell is not seen as a lottery pick, every mock draft has him going somewhere between 27 and 34, as he possesses first-round talent but could fall to the second round given the depth of the draft.

Regardless, the Bulls wouldn't have a shot at him in that range unless they trade back into the first round or reach for him at the 12th pick. Powell is a name to keep an eye on as the draft unfolds, as the Bulls do love him and his potential as a player.