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Toronto Raptors: Norman Powell gets LVSM First Team nod

By Kevin Nimmock

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Norman Powell has been named to the All-NBA Summer League 2015 First Team, after leading the Toronto Raptors to a 3-2 record. Powell was an unexpected hero for the Raps, mixing highlight reel offence with stellar lockdown defence. His performance clearly got fans and media members alike excited, since the award was deliberated on by the writers and broadcasters in attendance.

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Powell averaged 18.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in Las Vegas, shooting 51% from the field and a fiery 44% from beyond-the-arc. But, his greatness extended far beyond offence. Powell also added 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Basically, he did everything for the Raptors, showing he might have deserved a higher draft slot than 46th, and in turn making GM Masai Ujiri seem like a genius once again.

Powell’s performance didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. He was a first-team All-Pac-12 winner last season for UCLA. Still, it came as a surprise to many how effectively his game transferred over to playing against better opponents. He continued to look like a dominant athlete, running past and jumping over defenders. He was also confident and intelligent, scoring effectively both inside and outside. Best of all, he did not rush his shots, instead using clever dribble moves to get open, hence the high field goal percentage.

Defensively, Powell is ready. His biggest skill has always been his ability to stick with tricky guards. At 6-4, he is big enough to cover strong shooting guards and quick enough to mark speedy point guards. He thrives on playing aggressive, gritty defence, which should fit right into what Ujiri is trying to built right now in Toronto.

Clearly, Powell’s work has not been missed on Ujiri, who elected to offer him a contract. Remember, going into Summer League, it was not considered automatic that Powell would wind up with the Raptors next season. Last year, DeAndre Daniels was not signed, and instead was forced to play in Australia. Luckily for Powell, he overcame his low draft seed and showed that he could dominate lottery picks.

Overall, Powell won’t be an automatic contributor in the NBA, but he will probably have a spot on the senior roster, and not the D-League affiliate in Mississauga. Powell has earned the right to call himself and NBA player based on his explosive Summer League play. In return, head coach Dwane Casey can expect hard nosed defence in sparse minutes off the bench.

Next: DeMar DeRozan dominates the Drew League

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