Leon Powe
From Hoopedia
Leon Powe (born January 22, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who currently is a member of the NBA's Boston Celtics.
Contents |
High School
At Oakland Technical High School, Powe averaged 27.4 ppg, 14.2 rpg and 3.1 bpg as a senior and was named a first-team Parade All-American and the Gatorade California Player of the Year. A highly rated prep star, Powe was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American game and became the first Oakland Tech athlete to have his number retired by the school.
College
Powe played his college basketball for the California Golden Bears from 2003-2006. Although he was part of Cal men's hoops for 3 seasons, he did not play in his sophomore year due to a serious knee injury. During his freshman season, he earned the PAC-10 freshman of the year, leading the conference in rebounding.
Questions abounded about whether Powe would be able to return to form following his knee surgery but he worked hard and rehabilitated to become a dominant force on the interior as he continued to improve his game. He produced 20.5 PPG and 10.1 RPG while leading Cal to a 20-11 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Powe was named California's most valuable player during a banquet in April 2006. Powe, who also was selected Cal's MVP as a freshman in 2004, averaged 20.5 ppg and 10.1 rpg to become just the sixth player ever to pace the conference in both categories. Named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press, the U.S. Basketball Writers and ESPN.com, he was chosen to the All-Pac-10 team for a second time in 2006.
Professional Career
After his junior year, Powe decided to enter his name in the 2006 NBA Draft. Powe was selected in the second round and by the Denver Nuggets with the 49th overall pick, who then traded him to the Boston Celtics. After playing for the Celtics summer league team, Powe was signed by the team to a 3 year contract.
2006-07 NBA Season
Powe began the year as a fourth string center behind Kendrick Perkins, Brian Scalabrine and Michael Olowokandi. After a rash of injuries submarined Boston's playoff chances, Powe received a limited opportunity to showcase his skills. He proved himself a capable defender who can alter shots and provide interior rebounding. On January 12, 2007, Powe made the most out of his 25 minutes and registered a career-high 12 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors. On April 10, 2007, he scored a career-high 19 points against the Atlanta Hawks.
