Powe to work out with Lakers

Contra Costa Times: Cal sophomore Leon Powe, who made himself available for the NBA draft last month but did not hire an agent, has an individual workout scheduled Friday with the Los Angeles Lakers. Powe also will work out for the Warriors on May 23.

Powe's unofficial guardian, Bernard Ward, said he has heard from several other teams and expects Powe to schedule more workouts. Since Powe has not hired an agent, he can decide to return to Cal if he withdraws his name from the draft by the June 18 deadline. The draft is on June 28.

NBA Draft.net: NBA Comparison: Larry Johnson

Strengths: Very talented offensive player with the ability to play back to the basket or face up ... Explosive leaping ability despite the knee injuries ... Has great quickness, and crafty at getting around defenders to the basket ... Has a nose for the basket ... Very competitive and talented player, a real difference maker on the college level ... Ball handling is very good for a big forward ... Shooting ability out to 18 feet is good ... Has great upper body strength ... Super long arms and big hands make him like a magnet grabbing loose balls ... Great motor, competes hard ...

Weaknesses: Injuries to his knees have required two major reconstructive surgeries. The fear of another knee injury is there, so proving he can remain healthy through his Junior year would help his chances of getting drafted in the first round ... He's undersized to play power forward in the NBA, but has good athleticism and long arms ... Has good speed, but looks very awkward running the court, his back is always upright, he never leans forward, and his legs don't extend fully ... Lacks the passing ability and perimeter skills to play small forward ...

Notes: Led the Pac-Ten in rebounding as a freshman, two years ago. Came into Cal rated as one of the top 5 prospects in the country.

Dizzmal wrote:Powe is gonna be a great player in this league. He's got the body and the skill to be a legitimate post player offensively and defesively. He'd be a good pick early second round, so I don't see the Lakers getting him. Plus, there's better power forwards like Paul Millsap that we can get with the 26th pick.

NBA Draft.net: Leon Powe Workout

NBADraft.net attended an informal workout for Leon Powe on Monday. Powe is looking as athletic and ripped as ever. He was impressive running the floor, shooting the ball well, and running through a series of plyometric drills.

He's definitely 6-7 as opposed to the 6-8 that he was listed, but his wingspan allows him to play much bigger than his height.

He's got a legit 7-foot plus wingspan, and his arms are extremely strong. His standing reach is that of a 6-9 player so his height is less of an issue. His body is incredibly ripped, he looks like he jumped out of a muscle magazine.

On the negative side, his shooting stroke is a liability as he has a mechanical release and shoots the ball too low. His release point is similar to Shawn Marion's.

Talking to NBA scouts, they wouldn't rule out the possibility of him getting into the first round but the consensus is that he's most likely an early to mid second rounder if he chooses to remain in this year's draft.

Despite his tremendous physique, one scout said they still have concerns about his ability to explode in traffic.

Proving that he can remain injury free for another season at Cal could put scouts minds at ease about his past knee problems.

Caron1 wrote:I saw him play at STAPLES this year vs SC and was really impressed. He is undersized but has a nice offensive arsenal and excellent footwork on both ends. His real strength is his WINGPSAN, something Phil covets in the triangle. Even though he is traditionally undersized for PF, he has a lot of natural instincts and I could see the Lakers taking him at 26.