Powe Returns to Bay Area

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">His eyes are a little wider, and yes, his wallet a little fatter, than when he last roamed these parts. But Leon Powe is looking forward to his return to the Bay Area with his priorities intact as ever.

He was ready to see "my family, my people."

"I've been ready since the year started," Powe said in Boston last week. "Got the schedule, circled it, and starting making plans. So it's going to be good."

Could it be anything else for the Oakland native who played at Cal for two seasons before jumping to the NBA? Nothing comforts the rookie soul quite like that first trip home, and Powe gets his with the Celtics in town to face the Warriors on Friday night.

It has been six months since Powe was drafted and dealt to Boston, three months since he squeaked onto the Celtics' roster, and seemingly a lifetime ago since he was this far behind the basketball curve.

The 22-year-old, like most NBA newcomers, is struggling to learn his coach's offensive and defensive sets. Though most plays were run through him and for him in college, Powe is now part of a team-oriented system that breaks down if he's a step out of place.

And forget about him being undersized as a 6-foot-8 power forward. Injuries to all three of the Celtics' centers have left Al Jefferson as the starting center and Powe as his de facto backup.

Powe is averaging 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds -- a fraction of the 20-and-10 he routinely posted at Cal -- in about 10 minutes per game. Some nights, he doesn't play at all. Other nights, he'll earn double-digit minutes from coach Doc Rivers.

Most nights, he simply uses rugged determination to make up for his rookie mistakes.

"He's a hard worker and I think that goes back to his college career," swingman Paul Pierce said. "He's not playing much, but every time he does, he gives us what we need, a hard-nosed banger and an inside presence."

"He let's guys know: 'I might be 6-6, but I play 6-10,' " Jefferson added.

In many respects, Powe has found an easier transition off the court, where he already has managed to score some prime real estate. His locker stall is wedged between those of Pierce and Jefferson, and he rents a townhouse a few blocks from the Celtics' practice facility in suburban Waltham, Mass.

The three-bedroom, two-story abode is nothing special, Powe said, except that he finally has his own space. He lived with former colleges teammates Ayinde Ubaka, Marquise Kately and Dominic McGuire in the dorms and in off-campus apartments at Cal.

Now, he's officially the man of the house, though he lives with longtime friend Vince Powell and girlfriend Llauren Cook. Because practices last only a few hours and Powe no longer has classes to attend or exams to study for, he fills his time by shooting pool, watching TV and playing video games with his housemates.

"If I was in my place by myself, I wouldn't have too much fun," Powe said. "I need something to remind me of home."

He's still a big fan of P.F. Chang's lemon chicken and fried rice, and he wishes the In-N-Out chain extended East. But being in Boston represents the next step of Powe's pro career that will pay him more than $1 million over two years and help provide security for his extensive family.

Powe's father left when he was an infant, his mother died while he was in high school, and several of his six brothers and sisters are still in foster care.

"If they need something, they call me. If they don't, they still call me to see how I'm doing," Powe said. "It's just as long as they take care of their business in school, they know they're going to be fine. Even it if isn't me helping them, there's somebody there. I just call them to check on them to make sure they're all right." </div>

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