Rashaad Powell facts for kids

Rashaad Dominic Powell was born on June 14, 1981, in Renton, Washington. He is an American basketball coach and a former professional player. Rashaad played college basketball for the University of Idaho. He was even named the best defensive player in the Big West Conference in 2004! After college, he played basketball professionally for many years.

Rashaad Powell's Basketball Journey

High School and College Years

Rashaad Powell went to Renton High School in Renton, Washington. He graduated in 1999. In his senior year, he was an amazing player. He scored 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and made 6 assists per game. He also had 3 steals and 2 blocks. These great stats helped him become the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

After high school, Rashaad attended Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. He was there from 1999 to 2001. At Chemeketa, he kept getting better at basketball. He played many different positions on the court. By his second year, he was a co-captain for his team. He averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block per game.

After getting his degree, Rashaad joined the University of Idaho basketball team. He started as a walk-on player, meaning he wasn't on scholarship at first. But he quickly showed his talent! By the third game, he was a starter for the team. Sadly, he injured his shoulder and couldn't play for the rest of the 2001–2002 season.

Rashaad came back strong for the next two seasons. In the 2003–2004 season, he was named the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. This award goes to the best defensive player in the conference. He also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication.

Professional Basketball Career

Rashaad Powell started his professional basketball career in 2004. He joined the Bellevue Blackhawks in the ABA. He was the very first player to sign with that team! However, he broke his right hand soon after training camp. This put his career on hold again.

In 2005, he tried out for the Yakima Sun Kings in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He was the last player they let go before the season started.

For the 2005–2006 season, Rashaad returned to the ABA. He signed with the Tacoma Navigators. After the ABA season ended, he joined the Seattle Mountaineers in the International Basketball League (IBL). He had a fantastic season with them! He was named to the First Team All-IBL. He also won the MVP award at the IBL Western Conference All-Star game. A sports news group even ranked him as one of the top minor league players in America.

In 2006, Rashaad was invited to a special mini-camp. This was with the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA)! It was a great chance to show his skills to an NBA team. After that, he signed with the Everett Explosion for the 2006–2007 IBL season. He was again chosen for the Western Conference All-Star team.

After the 2007 IBL season, Rashaad went to Chile to play. He joined Club de Deportes Provincial Llanquihue de Puerto Varas. From August to November 2007, he was a star player. He averaged 29 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block per game. He led the league in almost every important stat! Before he left, he was ranked the number one player in that league.

In November 2007, Rashaad came back to the United States. He was invited to training camp with the Yakima Sun Kings again. Once more, he was the last player released before the season. Soon after, he signed with the Albany Patroons in the CBA. Before that CBA season ended, Rashaad went to the United Arab Emirates. He played for the Sharjah Club. In 2011, he also played for the West Coast Hotshots in the International Basketball League.