...and had 23.5 more points than anybody else in the standings. He was averaging a team-leading 22.3 points per game, which had him fourth in the league. He also was third in the CBA in offensive rebounds (3.2), sixth in field-goal percentage (56 percent) and was No. 3 in three-point accuracy (45 percent).
Powell’s dogged work ethic continues to be vital to his improvement on the court.
“This season and the experience I’ve gained have been a blessing for me,” Powell said during his Rockford days. “I’ve had the opportunity to become much more of a scorer here, but I’ve worked on my all-around game. I’ve gotten stronger and quicker, I’m more fundamentally sound and am a better ball handler. Even though I struggled with consistency getting used to the NBA three-point distance, I’m shooting much better now.
“I’ve been able to play a lot at the two and three positions,” Powell added. “I’m a guy who works and plays hard. I want to show people that I can be a scorer, a good defender and a rebounder, that I can do whatever teams need me to do to win.”
Powell displayed that potential while suiting up for the Dallas Mavericks’ summer league teams in 2005 and during training camp with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he was among one of the final roster cuts last fall.
“I learned a lot, but the most important thing was that it helped my confidence,” Powell said. “I got to play in a couple of exhibition games and got to practice against guys like Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour. That helped me grow and prepared me mentally. But getting into the games and playing well and scoring proved what I can do and that I can play at this level if I keep working hard. It all gets back to gaining confidence.”
Powell is also mature for his age and more ready to tackle the rigors of a professional career than many young athletes, having graduated from Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications after being on the honor roll all four years during high school.
He’s also been married for a year-and-a-half and is grounded in a strong Christian faith, something he hopes to use hoops as a springboard for when he’s not on the court through his 4:3 Foundation’s RPJ Ministries (www.rpjministries.org).
“I’ve started a foundation that I hope to deliver spiritual gifts through...
Continued...
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