In 1988, Powell won the long jump silver medal at the Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

[citation needed] He also holds the longest wind-assisted jump at 8.99 m (29 ft 5+3⁄4 in) (+4.4 m/s), set at high altitude in 1992 in Sestriere, Italy.

During his professional career, Powell competed in the 1992–93 Foot Locker Slam Fest trying to dunk from the free throw line but failed.

In July 2009, he announced that he would return to competition and planned to break Tapani Taavitsainen's Masters over-45 world record in the long jump.

[6] At the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho on February 20, 2015, in an official announcement Powell said that he would jump again in competition.