Every NBA team’s most underrated player
By Tom West
Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Powell
He’s a long way from being a household name, but Dwight Powell is really starting to improve his game in an increased role with the Mavericks this season. It’s his attitude more than anything that you have to respect, as his energy at both ends of the floor is what sparks the way he can make an immediate impact in his 20.9 minutes off the bench.
If you’re unfamiliar with Powell (which you probably are) here’s a taste of what he can do. Just make sure you watch till he rejects Anthony Davis at the rim and then runs the floor to make a layup:
Even as a 6’11” big man, he runs around like a shooting guard on the loose at times. He crashed the boards, runs the floors, rises to protect the rim on defense, and has a good enough mid-range game and finishing ability to help the offense from time to time. In fact, when looking at his production per 36 minutes this season, his marks of 16.4 points, 12 rebounds and 1.3 blocks are highly impressive. Regardless of the small sample size, those numbers and performances like the one above indicate his worth coming off the bench.
It’s because you probably won’t hear anything about him unless you watch the Mavs that makes him worth an appearance here. He’s proving himself as a notable energizer off the bench, with rebounding ability, an interior presence, and even a reasonable 37.8 percent stroke from 16 feet out.
He really isn’t bad for a role player who’s seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Next: Utah Jazz