Going the extra Myles
Diet, discipline transformed Hall frosh Powell
When Myles Powell arrived at Seton Hall in late May weighing 240 pounds, coach Kevin Willard didn’t feel the need to lecture his new freshman guard about his weight.
Instead, he gave him a 25pound dumbbell and asked the Trenton native to run around the court with it. Then, Willard told Powell to run around without it.
“See how much better you feel,” Willard told him. Message sent. If Powell, a highly touted four-star recruit, wanted to make any impact for the Pirates, he wasn’t going to do it in that condition. And the 6-foot-2 guard didn’t fight it, doing everything strength and conditioning coach Jason Nehring asked, spending the entire sum- mer in South Orange working out with the older Pirates and changing his diet.
Between the time Powell arrived at Seton Hall on May 25 and now, he has dropped 45 pounds, down to 195. He cut out fast food and soda, replacing it with grilled chicken, salad, fruit, and water. The hardest food to give up was cheese. It was his nickname growing up, because he put extra cheese on everything.
He went home last weekend and nobody recognized him. He hasn’t been in such good shape since middle school.
“It feel like [I’m] another person,” Powell said on Tuesday, during Seton Hall media day. “I’m jumping better, moving off screens better. I don’t feel myself getting tired. It helps me shoot farther.”
A twice-broken left foot — he broke it for the second time last year — contributed to Powell’s weight woes. After seeing what a difference losing weight could have, Powell didn’t fight Seton Hall about the changes it wanted him to make.
“When you have a dream and you want the dream to come true, little stuff like that doesn’t get in the way,” he said.
Seton Hall plans for Powell to be an integral part of its attack. Willard said Powell is the most talented offensive player he ever has had as a freshman. His reputation is as a shooter, but he’s not one dimensional. He can get to the basket and create offense for himself and others.
“He’s got a great way of finishing in traffic,” Willard said. “He’s a guy that we can put on the court and really space the court. Myles has a damned ability to make some tough shots, boy.”
Which is why the summer was so important, not only for Powell, but also for Seton Hall. After Big East Tournament MVP Isaiah Whitehead left for the NBA, his 18.2 points per game needed to be replaced. Returning starters Desi Rodriguez, Khadeen Carrington, Angel Delgado and Ishmael Sanogo are all expected to do a little more offensively, but Powell presents the kind of lights-out shooter the program lacked. Seton Hall, after all, shot just 34 percent from 3-point range as a team last season.
It may sound like a lot to put on a freshman’s shoulders, but Powell said he doesn’t feel any pressure.
“I knew coming in that would be my role,” Powell said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
When Powell committed to Seton Hall in September 2015, picking the Pirates over Connecticut, Pittsburgh, VCU and DePaul, it was seen as a solid get, with one caveat: Could he get into shape? So far, so good.
“Everyone told me, be careful, he’s kind of lazy. This and that. Talking to the kid, I didn’t see that,” Willard said. “He’s anything but lazy. He’s a kid that, more than anything, needs structure. He’s gotten very good structure, and he’s been very successful.”