I owe it to the readers to open this up with a disclaimer. I am a diehard fan of not only Myles Powell but Seton Hall Basketball as a whole. I’m a student at Seton Hall, and I have seen around 95% of Myles’ total collegiate minutes. I am going to attempt to keep my bias to a minimum throughout, but I’ll be the first to admit it is probably unavoidable. Either way, I hope to share my knowledge with you and provide some insight on the electrifying scorer from Trenton, NJ. (He. Is. Myles. Powell.)
I know what you’re asking, can a 6’2” combo guard make it at the next level? Well, in short, the answer is undoubtedly yes. What Myles lacks in physical size is made up for with an elite physical and mental skill set. Limitless range, elite below-the-rim finishing, and fearlessness in the clutch are some of the many elite traits. In this report, I’m going to go in depth on his strengths, career context, weaknesses, areas for improvement, and how I project him in the NBA. Here we go.
Strengths
This is an easy one. In his final 2.5 seasons at Seton Hall, Powell showed Pirate Nation what he’s made of. Most notably is his ability to make difficult shots when the lights shine brightest. Myles Powell is a shot maker, not a shooter, in the clutch. There are moments where regardless of where his feet are positioned, or where the defender is, he finds shot windows that very few players use or even see for that matter. There are so many games to watch where this is evident. Kentucky (12/8/18), Michigan State (11/14/19), Oregon (11/27/19) Marquette (3/6/19), Villanova (3/9/19), and Wofford (3/21/19) to name a few. (Links below). In all these games you will see why Myles Powell is an electrifying talent. He can take over a game at a moment’s notice. His microwave shooting complimented by sheer fearlessness in the clutch is a dynamic combination. Off the ball, Myles will have no problems translating to the NBA. His ability to set up defenders on pin downs and picks jumps off the screen. Coming off a screen moving from the left wing to the top of the key is one of his favorite and signature in-rhythm shots. With the ball in his hands, he has a plethora of dribble crossovers and hesitations that keep defenders guessing. All this combined with go-to step back and pull up jumpers make him a tough guard for almost anyone, regardless of size. With eight man rotations consisting all of players who can get their own shot (a la ‘19 Raptors) it is clear Myles Powell can plug in immediately to this new wave of modern basketball.
Career Context
Statistics without context are just numbers. There is nothing worse than logging on to Twitter and seeing a player get bashed because someone looked on Sports Reference for three minutes to formulate their latest “hot take”. Myles’ senior efficiency stats aren’t good, I will concede that. But there are many reasons that I believe should be considered before we jump to conclusions and say he’s a bad shooter. The obvious argument as to why it was a fluke is the sample size. His sophomore and junior seasons were pretty efficient. I don’t buy that he regressed by such a significant margin over six months.Those are the same six months where he was playing summer pick-up games with NBA players such as James Harden. If you don’t buy that, let’s look exclusively at his senior campaign. In his first eight games, Myles was playing the best basketball of his career. Shooting 35/88 from deep (39.8%). All while being guarded by taller and longer defenders that he will see in the NBA. His 10th game of the season is where things changed. He suffered a concussion against Rutgers and quite frankly wasn’t the same since The eye test was obvious and he was off by the slightest of beats which made all the difference. It is unfortunate Myles never got the chance to prove it was just a fluke in the Big East Tournament or March Madness, but that is the hand he was dealt. Call it an excuse, fine, but personally I’m just not concerned about the shooting efficiency moving forward.
Weaknesses/Areas for Improvement
Myles Powell showed flashes of solid on-ball defense when the team needed it, but it is a stretch to say he was above average defending on the ball in his career. This is the one weakness that I’m not sure has a very high ceiling for improvement. He is an undersized guard and many of whom throughout the league struggle on defense. As a primarily offensive minded player, he really just needs to be good enough in order to get minutes. Another weakness for Myles is his shot selection. This is a tough one because a bad shot for the typical basketball player is not really a bad shot for Myles Powell. The big shots he has made in his career can all be labeled as “bad shots” if you haven’t seen him play before. The point is, Myles’ ability to make difficult shots is a curse and a blessing because while it is an elite trait, when he does miss the shot feels ill-advised. With a lessened role in the NBA than he had in college, though, he will get better and more open looks. Lastly, Powell needs to improve his playmaking. Going back to shot selection, Myles can have tunnel vision when driving to the lane and there are times where he should kick to open shooters or lob the big man. That being said, he reads the pick and roll very well, and that is definitely where he generated most of his assists. This is a valuable skill to have in a league that is moving into primary pick and roll offenses.
Projection/Comparisons
I saw someone compare Myles to Harden a few months ago which is a prime example of why comparisons are usually pointless. They both use step backs and have similar finishes below the rim but to compare Myles to one of the best scorers in the sport is unfair. I’ll instead project what situation/system would maximize his strengths.
As a Knicks fan it pains me to say Powell’s best fit is with the 76ers. Myles needs to be complimented in a backcourt with an oversized playmaking guard. Ben Simmons and Myles Powell are a perfect backcourt pairing. Myles doesn’t need to take on the lead guard role but instead can play off of Simmons’ drives and kicks. Also on defense, playing Simmons allows you to hide Powell off the ball similar to what Golden State does with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. A pick and roll/pop with Joel Embiid could also be effective.
If I had to make a comparison, the one I’ve liked the most is Fred Vanvleet. Their college stats compare similarly as do their play styles. I see Myles as a reserve off the bench who can jumpstart a sluggish offense on some nights, while also being able to orchestrate an offense in a limited capacity when called upon. Vanvleet was an enormous part of the Raptor’s championship run in almost this exact role. I love the Raptor’s offensive and defensive systems and believe if Vanvleet weren’t already there, Myles Powell could plug right in on day 1.
Conclusion
I hate intangible arguments like “it-factors” and “mentalities” in basketball. If I had to trust something intangible, though, it would be with Myles Powell. He has faced tragedy and adversity throughout his life, but his story is that of perseverance. He is Trenton Tough, and will never back down from a challenge. His belief in himself and his teammates is visibly contagious on the court.
In a world of question marks, if one thing is for certain, never in my life will I bet against Myles Powell.