I love Dwight Powell. I love high character guys who give back to their communities. I love afterthoughts who earn their place through dedication and hard work. I love athletes who aren't the most gifted but maximize their potential. I love that he's the torch bearer for the culture that Dirk helped build. I hate how negative people were about his contract extension how they leveraged his injury as an "I-told-you-so". But I think everyone needs to keep their expectations in check.
His injury occurred on January 26th. By the time the season roles around he'll be at the 11 month period of his recovery which is the "normal' recovery time for athletes. That injury occurs about once a year in the NBA. The only person who ever came back better and looked to have the same explosion as before is one of the most genetically gifted athletes basketball has ever seen. All hail Dominique. So who do you think would be next on the list of successful recoveries? Kobe was okay but most of his elite athleticism was gone by the time the injury occurred and he relied on skill and know-how. That's probably good news for Durant and Klay. I'd argue it was our own (Portland's own?) Wes Matthews. He'd certainly lost some of his athleticism but he came back fairly quick and was able to play heavy minutes and has continued to do so for years post-injury. If you want to get depressed, look at some of the other names on the ruptured achilles list.
The bad news for Powell is his elite talent on the court was leaping and finishing. It's hard to imagine that will be the same and his appreciable skills beyond that are modest. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but I think the odds are stacked against him on being a reliable part of the rotation this year and maybe beyond.
The good news for Powell:
-Maybe he has the same springs as Dominique that let him come back so successfully (or hopefully the same luck)
-No one is going to work harder than Dwight Powell
-Mavs have one of if not the best medical staff in the NBA
-Maybe we are due for another player to buck the odds
His injury occurred on January 26th. By the time the season roles around he'll be at the 11 month period of his recovery which is the "normal' recovery time for athletes. That injury occurs about once a year in the NBA. The only person who ever came back better and looked to have the same explosion as before is one of the most genetically gifted athletes basketball has ever seen. All hail Dominique. So who do you think would be next on the list of successful recoveries? Kobe was okay but most of his elite athleticism was gone by the time the injury occurred and he relied on skill and know-how. That's probably good news for Durant and Klay. I'd argue it was our own (Portland's own?) Wes Matthews. He'd certainly lost some of his athleticism but he came back fairly quick and was able to play heavy minutes and has continued to do so for years post-injury. If you want to get depressed, look at some of the other names on the ruptured achilles list.
The bad news for Powell is his elite talent on the court was leaping and finishing. It's hard to imagine that will be the same and his appreciable skills beyond that are modest. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but I think the odds are stacked against him on being a reliable part of the rotation this year and maybe beyond.
The good news for Powell:
-Maybe he has the same springs as Dominique that let him come back so successfully (or hopefully the same luck)
-No one is going to work harder than Dwight Powell
-Mavs have one of if not the best medical staff in the NBA
-Maybe we are due for another player to buck the odds