By R.L. Bynum

The NBA draft is less than two weeks away, and most mock drafts are projecting North Carolina’s Drake Powell to be a first-round pick, with predictions going as high as No. 17.

Of the 12 mock drafts that either included both rounds or had the 6–5¼ (the NBA’s measurement without shoes), 200-pound wing going in the first round when that was the only round projected, the average had him going No. 27 or No. 28 in the first round.

Three mock drafts have Powell joining former Tar Heels Cameron Johnson and Day’Ron Sharpe with the Brooklyn Nets, who have four first-round picks.

NetScouts Basketball’s Carl Berman has the Nets selecting Powell at No. 26, and two mock drafts — from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman and The Associated Press — have Brooklyn taking him at No. 27.

Two projections — from Sam Vencie of The Athletic and three writers at For The Win — have the Los Angeles Clippers taking Powell at No. 30.

The draft will be at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on June 25 and 26, with the first round televised on ESPN and ABC.

The highest projection was No. 17 to the Minnesota Timberwolves from the Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau.

Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor had Powell going No. 12 to the Chicago Bulls in an earlier mock draft, but dropped him to No. 22 to the Atlanta Hawks in his latest projection.

Here’s a rundown of the 15 mock drafts:

— No. 17 in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau
Here’s what Mann and Chau said about Powell:

“Perhaps you’ve heard, but the Western Conference is big and it is long. With [Nique] Clifford and [Cedric] Coward off the board at this point, Powell is the logical choice if the Wolves are looking for offensive spacing and defensive switchability on the perimeter. Powell is uncomplicated (simple, limited, lacking dynamism—however you wanna put it) on offense at this point, but North Carolina’s defensive clunkiness clouded the idea of just how effective he can be if his role is properly calibrated. Powell is a high-motor defender who can guard multiple positions and the type of offensive player who can space to the corner effectively or punish inattentive helpers with his cutting. He’s on my radar as a player who could, down the road, be seen as one of the steals of this draft.”

— No. 22 in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks:
Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor
O’Connor compared Powell to Mikal Bridges and Isaac Okoro, and said his best attributes are being a crafty finisher and a team defender. Here is what he said about Powell:

“Powell has a chiseled frame he uses to barrel into defenders at the rim and to contain opponents when he’s on defense. He’s a switch-everything defender who plays with a high motor, and if his spot-up jumper translates, he checks all the boxes to be a 3-and-D role player at a minimum. These are the precise qualities of the types of wings and forwards the Hawks love to put around Trae Young.”

— No. 26 in the first round to the Brooklyn Nets
NetScouts Basketball’s Carl Berman

— No. 27 in the first round to the Brooklyn Nets

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman
Wasserman compared Powell to Will Barton and Herb Jones. Here’s what he said about Powell:

“Teams figure to put extra stock into Drake Powell’s NBA combine performance and workouts after he spent the year spotting up 49.2 percent of North Carolina’s possessions and taking just 5.7 shots per game. Despite the lack of production, there could still be first-round interest based on his outstanding physical profile, defensive projection and 37.9 percent three-point shooting.”

The Associated Press (no byline)
Here’s what AP said about Powell:
“The 6-6, 195-pound freshman offers athleticism, outside shooting (37.9% on 3s) and defensive potential. Powell led all combine players in standing vertical leap (37.5 inches, 4+ inches more than anyone else) and max vertical (43.0) to go with a 7-foot wingspan.”

— No. 29 in the first round to the Phoenix Suns

For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky
Here’s what Kalbrosky said about Powell:

“North Carolina freshman Drake Powell was one of the biggest winners at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, measuring with a 43-inch max vertical and a standing vertical four inches higher than any other prospect. Although he had a relatively limited role during his time in the NCAA, you’re betting on upside by selecting Powell in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft.”

— No. 30 in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie
Here’s what Vecenie said about Powell:

“Powell has some momentum to end up somewhere in the back half of the first round because of his defense. Nobody guarded Flagg as well as Powell did this season. He’s just a long way away on offense, as he’s not that comfortable as a shooter or that capable as a ballhandler. It’s going to take him some time to play at the NBA level, even with his defensive skill. Still, he’s 6-5 with a 7-foot wingspan and is the kind of player the Clippers value as a tough-minded defender.”

For The Win’s Jeff Zillgitt, Lorenzo Reyes and James H. Williams
Here’s what they said about Powell:

“Active on both ends of the court as a shot-blocker and physical and versatile defender, and as a player who likes to run the court, launch catch-and-shoot 3s and go one-on-one in the halfcourt. Playing on a deep team, especially on the perimeter, Powell doesn’t possess eye-popping offensive stats, but his shooting stats reveal his potential. Was an efficient scorer in limited opportunities and can be a solid rebounder from the perimeter.”

SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell

— No. 31 in the second round to the Minnesota Timberwolves

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo

— No. 32 in the second round to the Boston Celtics

Tankathon (no byline)

— No. 33 in the second round to the Charlotte Hornets

No Ceilings (no byline)

— CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish, CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone and Fox Sports’ John Fanta all had mock drafts that only included the first round and didn’t list Powell.