Over in Toronto, Raptors fans have been soaking up the offensive brilliance of Brandon Ingram. Watching BI on the court has definitely been a treat, especially after his recent game-winner against the Indiana Pacers. But if we're talking about pure hoops on display, you can’t overlook a relic to a Raptors' past and current Miami Heat star — Norman Powell.
Powell had a tremendous 2024-25 NBA campaign, taking on a bigger role with the Clippers in light of Paul George's departure for the Philadelphia 76ers. Powell took his scoring averages from 13.9 points in the 2023-24 season to 21.8 points per game, where his efficient brand of basketball remained, shooting 48.4 percent from the field, and a steady 41.8 percent from three.
Last year, Powell was considered a top contender for Most Improved Player, but due to the NBA's minimum games requirement (65 games) for awards — he played only 60 — he was ineligible, and the award ultimately went to Dyson Daniels. Despite his career-high performance, the Clippers decided to part ways with his scoring, opting instead to improve their roster by acquiring John Collins from the Jazz. In turn, Powell found himself a new home with the Miami Heat. And my oh my, is Norman Powell leaving his mark in just a short time.
Powell has been on an absolute heater (pun intended) in South Beach. Powell is averaging 24.5 points on 49.4% shooting from the field, 44.1% from three, along with 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals over 15 games for the Heat this season. As a matter of fact, the former 2019 Raptors championship contributor has already etched his name in Miami's history books, by becoming the first player to score 300+ points through their first 12 games with the franchise (as per Sports Reference). Funny enough, in a bit of a stroke of destiny, Powell's 305 points scored reflect Miami's famous area code.
Norman Powell looks like a certified Miami Heat star, but can he crack the All-Star game?
Mind you, the two names atop that list before Powell came in to take over were Heat legend Alonzo Mourning at 278 points, and the all-time great LeBron James, who put up 275 points. I wouldn't say an All-Star nod necessarily eluded Powell in Toronto, as his later years with the Raptors served as a preview of the scoring explosiveness he’d fully develop later on, even at this stage of his career. Having been part of the Clippers last year, where he missed out on a potential MIP award and had to navigate the competitive Western Conference All-Star pecking order, I believe Powell returning to the East is truly a blessing in disguise in more ways than one.
I bet many other hungry Eastern Conference players will also be vying for All-Star selection — heck, the Raptors are full of 'em trying to do so, and that's just one team. However, to leave no doubt, Norman Powell needs to maintain his consistent numbers. Coupled with the Heat's success as a top force in the East (currently third at the time of writing), I reckon there's a strong chance the 32-year-old will hear his name called in February.