I remember the first time I saw Dwight Powell play for the Dallas Mavericks back in 2014. Honestly, I didn't think much of him then - just another athletic big man who might bounce around the league for a few years. But watching his journey unfold over these past eight seasons has been one of the most fascinating developments in the NBA. What struck me recently was when I came across his quote from an interview about team dynamics: "Kung ano yung desisyon ko, dapat i-respect niyo kasi nire-respect ko rin yung sa inyo." That Filipino phrase, which roughly translates to "Whatever my decision is, you should respect it because I respect yours too," perfectly encapsulates why Powell has become Dallas's most underrated asset.
When we talk about underrated players in the league, most analysts point to guys putting up decent numbers on bad teams or role players having career years. But Powell represents something different entirely. He's averaging just 8.2 points and 4.9 rebounds this season - numbers that wouldn't make anyone look twice. Yet every time I watch the Mavericks play, I find myself tracking his movements off the ball, his defensive positioning, and how the entire offensive spacing changes when he's on the court versus when he's not. The analytics back this up too - Dallas's offensive rating jumps by 7.3 points when Powell plays, which is frankly staggering for a player with his modest stat line.
What really makes Powell special, in my view, is how he's mastered the art of complementary basketball. I've spoken with several NBA scouts who consistently mention that Powell might be the best screener in the league not named Steven Adams. He sets between 12-15 screens per game that directly lead to scoring opportunities, creating approximately 18.7 points per game through his screens alone. That's nearly 20 points that don't show up in his personal stats but are absolutely critical to Dallas's success. His understanding of angles and timing reminds me of those old Utah Jazz teams where everyone moved in perfect synchronization.
The respect philosophy Powell mentioned manifests in his playing style constantly. He respects Luka Dončić's need for space to operate, so he's perfected the drag screen and short roll. He respects the coaching staff's defensive schemes, even when they ask him to guard players who are fundamentally different from his skill set. Last season, I watched him hold opponents to just 44.3% shooting at the rim despite being consistently undersized for the center position. That respect goes both ways too - the coaching staff trusts him to make the right read in pick-and-roll situations, and Dončić looks for him more than any other roll man because they've developed this almost telepathic connection.
I've had arguments with fellow analysts who claim Powell is just a system player who benefits from playing with a generational talent like Dončić. But that completely misses the point - making yourself indispensable to a system is a skill in itself. Powell has started 287 games for Dallas over his career, and the team has won 62.4% of those games. When he's been injured or unavailable, that winning percentage drops to just 51.2%. That's not a coincidence - it's a pattern that's held up across multiple seasons and roster constructions.
What fascinates me most about Powell's game is how he's evolved without dramatically changing his statistical output. Early in his career, he was mostly an energy guy off the bench - think 15 minutes of chaos and athletic finishes. Now he's become this sophisticated offensive hub who understands exactly how to manipulate defenses. He's shooting 72.8% from the field this season on mostly dunks and layups, but watch closely and you'll see how he creates those opportunities through intelligent movement rather than just raw athleticism. He's developed this subtle push shot from 8-10 feet that he breaks out occasionally, hitting it at a 47.3% clip that keeps defenders honest.
Defensively, Powell will never be confused with Rudy Gobert, but he's become remarkably savvy. He knows his limitations and plays within them, using his 7'1" wingspan to bother shooters and his underrated lateral quickness to switch onto smaller players when necessary. The Mavericks' defensive rating improves by 3.1 points when he's on the court this season, which directly contradicts the narrative that he's a defensive liability. I've noticed he's particularly effective against Denver's Nikola Jokić, holding the MVP to just 21.3 points per 100 possessions when matched up directly - significantly below Jokić's season average.
The financial aspect makes Powell's value even more impressive. He's making $11.1 million this season, which places him 127th in the league in salary. When you compare that to players putting up similar advanced metrics - guys like Robert Williams III ($13.6 million) or Mitchell Robinson ($17.1 million) - Powell represents one of the best value contracts in the entire association. In a league where every dollar matters for constructing competitive rosters, having a starting-caliber center on that kind of deal is a significant advantage.
Looking back at that quote about mutual respect, I'm struck by how perfectly it captures Powell's career trajectory. He respects the organization's vision enough to continuously reinvent his game, and the organization respects his contributions enough to keep him as a foundational piece through multiple roster overhauls. In an era where player movement has never been more common, Powell has become the steady hand that helps stabilize the Mavericks through various storms. He may never make an All-Star game or lead the league in any major statistical category, but I'd argue he's been just as important to Dallas's recent success as many players who get far more recognition. The true test of a player's value isn't just what they do individually, but how they elevate everyone around them - and by that measure, Dwight Powell might be one of the most valuable role players in basketball today.
