Norman Powell pushes for All-Star selection

The Athletic’s David Aldridge reports on Norman Powell’s emergence as a potential NBA All-Star with the LA Clippers. After years of playing behind other stars, the former Portland Trail Blazer was given a chance to shine without Paul George or the injured Kawhi Leonard. He has helped the Clippers remain relevant and are currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 13-9 record. Aldridge notes the rarity of Powell’s All-Star opportunity.

Almost everyone who makes an All-Star team does so early in their career, most in their 20s. It would be an incredible twist of fate for a player who worked for 17 teams before the 2015 draft and was expected to be a late first-round pick, only to fall short in the second round and the 46th pick – and the has been fighting hard ever since – to do so so late in his career.

Powell was acquired from Portland at the 2021 trade deadline, sending Gary Trent Jr. to Toronto. He spent parts of two seasons with the Blazers, backing up Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. It was another combination that didn’t work in Portland, and he was traded with Robert Covington to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow and Keon Johnson. Johnson currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets, Bledsoe and Winslow are no longer in the NBA. This was seen at the time as a possible cost-cutting maneuver for the Blazers and was an early sign of their intent to rebuild.

In the interview with Aldridge, Powell discussed how his previous NBA stops influenced his current role with the Clippers.

How do you stay in the moment after so long where it was always like, “Okay, I’m behind DeMar in Toronto.” I’m behind Kawhi. “I stand behind CJ (McCollum) and (Robert) Covington (in Portland)” and so on?

The biggest thing for me is just being a winner. Growing up, watching, listening to Kobe talk, whatever it takes to win, while having expectations for myself, that was me. I always felt that winning was the most important thing. Whatever role I was assigned to help the team win, I wanted to do that while I continued to strive and show them that I could achieve more, I could carry more weight and the burden of the team. The most important thing is to win and I want to win championships. I want to have a great winning record when I’m done playing. And whatever that is, it’s pretty difficult to break through that when teams already have their contacts and stuff like that. But that’s all I focused on.

Powell has been the fourth NBA Sixth Man of the Yeah for the past two consecutive seasons. In his new role this season, he is averaging 23.6 points and shooting 49.6% from three-point range. The Trail Blazers will see him tonight when they play the Clippers in Los Angeles. The teams will play their final game of the NBA Cup qualifying round at 7:30 p.m