Rashaad Powell

Rashaad Dominic Powell (Born June 14th, 1981 in Renton, WA) is an American professional basketball player.

Biography

cholastic basketball career

Powell attended Renton High School in Renton, graduating in 1999. As a senior, he average 20 points per game, 12 rebounds per game, 6 assists per game, 3 steals per game and 2 blocks per game, on his way to becoming the league Most Valuable Player. He then attended Chemeketa Community College (Salem, OR) from September 1999 to June 2001. While at Chemeketa, Powell continued to hone his skills, playing multiple positions. Although, his freshman year he struggled for playing time, by his sophomore year he was the team co-captain, and concluded the season averaging 14 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game, 1 steal per game, and 1 block per game. Upon graduating with a General Studies Associate Arts degree, he accepted an offer from the University of Idaho (Moscow, ID) to join the team as a walk-on. His grit, determination, and hard nosed play earned him not only a spot on the roster, but by the third game he was a starter. He would be sidelined shortly thereafter due to a dislocated right shoulder, and would medical redshirt the remainder of the 2001–2002 season. Powell returned for the next two seasons, finishing his senior season averaging 7 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, 2 assists per game, 2 steals per game, and 1 block per. He was also named the 2003–2004 Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in Recreation.

Professional basketball career

He began his professional career in 2004–2005 in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Bellevue Blackhawks, as he was the first player signed in franchise history. His career was yet again put on hold, as he suffered a broken right hand shortly after training camp. He returned in early December and finished the season in February averaging 16 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game, 2 steals per game, and 1 block per game. In the fall of 2005 he was invited to training camp with the Yakama Sun Kings of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), and was the last player released before the season began.

Powell returned to the ABA for the 2005–2006 season signing with the Tacoma Navigators averaging 26 points per game, 12 rebounds per game, 5 assists per game, 3 steals per game, and 1 block per game. At the conclusion of the ABA season, he signed with the Seattle Mountaineers of the International Basketball League (IBL) where he averaged 22 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, 6 assists per game, 2 steals per game, and 1 block per game. He was named First Team All-IBL, IBL Western Conference All-Star (All-Star game Most Valuable Player), and number 16 in Pro Basketball News' Top 20 Minor League Players in America. In the fall of 2006 Powell was invited to mini-camp with the Seattle Supersonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) prior to the start of their training camp. He then signed with the Everett Explosion of the IBL for the 2006–2007 season, in which he averaged 29 points per game, 8 rebounds per game, 5 assists per game, 3 steals per game, 1 block per game, and was named to the Western Conference All-Star team.

Following the 2007 IBL season, Powell signed with Club de Deportes Provincial Llanquihue de Puerto Varas in the División Mayor del Básquetbol de Chile. From August 2007 to November 2007 he averaged 29 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, 5 assists per game, 2 steals per game, and 1 block per game. He lead the league in virtually every statistical category, and prior to his departure, was ranked the number one player in the league. In November 2007 he returned to the United States, was in invited to training camp again with the Yakama Sun Kings of the CBA, and again was the last player released prior to season. Shortly thereafter, he signed with the Albany Patroons of the CBA. From November 2007 to February 2008 he averaged 11 points per game, 4 rebounds per game, 2 assists per game, 2 steals per game and 1 block per game. Prior to the conclusion of the CBA season, Powell signed with the Sharjah Club in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, where he is currently playing, averaging 21 points per game, 12 rebounds per game, 5 assists per game, 2 steals per game, and 1 block per game.