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6 greatest NBA Draft steals in Toronto Raptors franchise history

By Avishai Sol

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors takes part in warm ups before playing the Detroit Pistons in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on March 24, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors takes part in warm ups before playing the Detroit Pistons in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on March 24, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors, Norman Powell
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – MARCH 17: Norman Powell #24 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

4. Norman Powell

A four-year senior out of UCLA, Powell’s age and lack of size saw him fall to the 46th overall pick, only to become a steal that the Raptors traded for on draft night. Norman Powell has been a hot commodity for the past few years, but not even his impressive scoring seasons can hold the candle to his 2016 coming-out party.

Splitting time early on with the Raptors 905 his rookie year, Powell quickly established himself as a cut above the rest. Averaging 25 points per game in the minor league, Powell was quickly called up to the Raptors’ active roster where we would slide in during small forward DeMarre Carroll’s injured stretches and pick up DeMar DeRozan’s slack on the defensive end.

This peaked in the 2016 playoffs, when in the Eastern Conference Finals, a broken Raptors squad at the end of their rope assigned Norm to guard a rampaging LeBron James. This seemed like the Raps waving the white flag, but against the odds, Norman Powell did a better job at staying with James than any other Raptor.

Norman Powell stuck around for the Toronto Raptors.

The Cavaliers would go on to win the series, but it was at that moment that Norm fully proved himself as a man who belonged to the big leagues. Since then, Powell has gone on to play valuable backup minutes on the 2019 title team and averaged almost 20 points a game for the 2020-21 Raptors before moving on to Portland.

Norman Powell will be remembered as one of the brightest Raptors stars in what would become a dynasty of late-draft steals for Masai Ujiri. Powell’s scoring has helped him sign a huge contract with the Blazers and earn a well-deserved trade to the contending Clippers.

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