« Men’s Basketball 2013-14

Dwight Powell

School
Stanford
Position
Forward
Major
Science, Technology & Society
PPG
15.2
RPG
7.8
APG
4

Classroom

As a junior in 2012-13, Powell was named a Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team recipient and NABC Honors Court selection. More impressively, Powell was the only player to earn a spot on both the Pac-12 All-Academic Team and All-Pac-12 First Team. As a sophomore in 2011-12, he was tabbed a Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention pick. Powell enters the 2013-14 campaign with a cumulative GPA of 3.23 and is majoring in Science, Technology & Society. Annual academic recognition has become a staple of the Stanford program. Last March, the Cardinal totaled the most Pac-12 All-Academic selections (7) of any conference school for the fourth consecutive season. Stanford has also produced 54 all-time All-Academic selections, the most of any conference school since the award’s inception in 1985-86.

Character

Powell is an inspirational team leader who will be expected to contribute even more as a captain in 2013-14. Perhaps Powell’s biggest impact was made last March when he decided to return to school and not enter the NBA Draft. Factoring into that decision was his tight-knit relationship with teammates and coaches, along with the desire to honor his late mother’s wish of obtaining his degree. Powell’s mother, Jacqueline Weir, passed away in September 2012 prior to the season after a short fight with cancer. An only child, Powell said the following at the start of last year:
“This is the best place for me to be right now. First of all, it’s a different country, so I don’t even have too much family except for the team. I can’t really think of anyone else I’d rather lean on right now than my teammates. Regardless of what goes on, they can take my mind off things. They can put my mind on the things I need to think about sometimes and help me talk things out, just be there. I feel very lucky to have the team that I have, just for that reason. It also translates onto the court, that closeness, that trust.”

Community

Of Stanford’s 36 varsity sports, the men’s basketball program was one of 10 teams with 100 percent participating in community service events during the 2012-13 calendar year. Powell has been key member of this group, focusing particularly on the third annual Reading Rainbow in the Park event, held in Palo Alto in conjunction with the Beyond The Farm initiative. Powell has also participated in various regular clinics and hospital visits with other members of the program.

Competition

As a junior in 2012-13, Powell was named an NABC All-District Second Team selection. Stanford’s first-ever Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year recipient, Powell also was tabbed an All-Pac-12 First Team honoree. In 34 starts, Powell averaged a team-best 14.9 points to go with 8.4 rebounds while notching 10 double-doubles. Scoring and rebounding aside, Powell also excelled from the foul line (79.6 percent) and three-point range (45.5 percent) while totaling 72 assists, 39 blocks and 26 steals. Powell’s numbers were a considerable jump from 2011-12, when he totaled 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Powell played in 35 games but made only 11 starts, hampered all year by an ankle sprain. In 2010-11, Powell was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team after averaging 8.1 points and 5.2 rebounds while scoring in double figures 11 times. His 26 starts ranked third-most all-time among Stanford freshmen. During his career, Powell is averaging 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 100 games and 71 starts. Powell is recognized as an extremely athletic, versatile frontcourt player who can excel in areas outside the post.