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Heat star Norman Powell says people thought he was crazy for what he said when he joined LA Clippers

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Luca Rosano | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 5:18 PM ET

Norman Powell started his career with the Toronto Raptors.

Norman Powell was selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, who subsequently traded his draft rights to the Toronto Raptors.

Powell spent the first six years of his career in Toronto and he broke out during the 2019-20 season where he averaged 16.0 points per game.

From there Powell averaged 19.6 points in the first part of the 2020-21 season before he was traded by the Raptors to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Norman Powell says he talked about being an All-Star and wanting to be a starter when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers

Powell played 67 games with the Blazers before he was traded once more to the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2021-22 season.

Powell found his footing with the Clippers and had the best run of his career. Powell averaged 17.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 201 games for the Clippers during his time there.

He cemented himself as a starter and even played at an All-Star level last season. Powell talked about how people thought he was crazy when he set the goals of being a starter and All-Star when he first joined the Clippers.

“That’s always been the goal. I look back, four seasons ago, when I first got to the Clippers, and I was talking about being an All-Star, wanting to be a starter, and people thought I was crazy.

“But this is the expectations and how I’ve always viewed myself, it’s always been about getting the opportunity.

“I was never a guy that was just going to be given the team, ‘here you go, we’re going to build around you and see help you develop and grow into this player’. I had to do that on my own.

“I’ve just been waiting for the opportunity to continue to shine and showcase my ability. I did that last year. I’m hungry to do it again and take it to another level.”

Norman Powell enters his first season with the Miami Heat

Coming off the best season of his career, the Clippers ended up trading Powell to the Miami Heat during the offseason.

In a three-team trade the Clippers dealt Norman Powell to the Miami Heat , the Utah Jazz sent John Collins to the Clippers and the Heat sent Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a future Draft pick to Utah.

Powell now joins a Heat team that will be missing Tyler Herro to begin the season so he should see an increased workload to start.

Powell has proven the doubters wrong to this point of his career and he will try and continue to do the same in Miami.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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