Powell takes his game back overseas

Former Wilson High School and USC standout Carlos Powell (7) drives to the basket for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League this season.

By: Lou Bezjak | SCNow
Published: March 09, 2010

Frustrated by not receiving an NBA call-up, Carlos Powell is back overseas in China.

The former Wilson standout left the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League and arrived in China last week. Powell will be playing for Liaoning Panpan Hunters of the Chinese Basketball Association.

It’s not the first time Powell has played overseas. He’s played in New Zealand, Portugal the Ukraine and spent last season in South Korea for Inchon ET Land Black Slamer.

Powell started this year in the Phoenix Suns training camp and was one of the last cuts.

Rather than going back overseas following his release, Powell thought it would be best for him to play in the D-League where teams are affiliated with NBA clubs and players can get called up throughout the season.

Powell definitely made his case for an NBA call-up. He averaged 22.1 points, five rebounds, five assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 49.2 percent from the field for the Thunderbirds. He also was selected to the D-League All-Star game and was named Player of the Week twice this season.

That wasn’t enough, though, to get a call-up from the New Orleans Hornets or Dallas Mavericks, the teams of which the Thunderbirds are affiliated. Meanwhile, 16 other D-League players have been called up this season to fill spots on NBA rosters.

“I really just got tired of getting looked over in the league,” Powell said in an e-mail. “I had to make a decision on either sticking it out for a call-up for 10 days, which might not have been for the rest of the season, or playing overseas.”

In China, Powell will be one of several Americans playing in the league. Former Gamecock Tre’ Kelley is playing in the league along with other former NBA players, including Stephon Marbury, Stromile Swift, Maurice Taylor and Smush Parker.

“The competition should be really good,” Powell said. “Plus, NBA China is really big over here so NBA teams will still have their eye on me from what I’m being told.”

Powell will finish the rest of the season in China and already is thinking of his plans for next season. He said he hasn’t given up on making it to the NBA and will try get in camp with an NBA team in September.

“I’ll get there eventually,” Powell said. “God has a plan for me. If it was an easy process then anyone could do it.”