Norman Powell gives ‘meaningful’ nod at first All-Star honors

ByNBAUSA


MIAMI – Like The Miami Heat have been involved in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpothe team made no changes before Thursday’s deadline, showing faith in the way the current squad is constructed. With The Heat are trying to avoid eighth seed purgatory and another trip to the tournament to play, the team will be led by its one All-Star in the Norman Powellwho spoke for the first time about honors.

Powell undoubtedly made a huge impact in his first season in Miami, leading the team with an average of 23 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from three-point range. The 32-year-old has talked time and time again about wanting to be an All-Star, which has gotten a lot more nods “meaningful.”

“Just a milestone that I hit and set as a kid,” Powell said after Thursday’s practice. “I’ve always wanted to be at that stage. I think it’s a testament to my hard work, my dedication to the game, my constant belief in myself at the level of player that I can be and continue to strive to be. So it’s definitely a huge accomplishment for me, personally. I couldn’t be in the position if it wasn’t for my new player, because I wasn’t allowed to come into the team, the organization. the system, and accepting me for who I am, and allowing me to be me.”

Good news comes for the first time All-Star in Powell as he announced the birth of his child on his Instagram. Powell missed the last three games for “personal reasons” but is now back with the team, returning to practice on Thursday.

The Heat is Norman Powell in a full-circle All-Star moment

Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reacts after scoring against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at the Cassia Center.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

While it is The Heat’s Powell has previously talked about being an All-Starthat conversation continued when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers, being snubbed last season because he was in the midst of a career year. Having missed, one of his goals was also with Miami, made a full circle moment and one where he listened again to the noise that surrounded him in the eyes of the public.

“I think that’s the moment that just cemented everything that I’ve been saying, you know, people were looking at me, talking crazy about me on social media when I first came out and opened up about that being one of my goals, and said, ‘I’m an All-Star, I believe I am.’ This goes back to when I first came to the Clippers,” Powell told ClutchPoints. “People kind of judged me, killed me in the media for saying that. But it’s the belief that I had in myself and my abilities and the work that I continue to put in every year, every summer, just trying to work on my game, to get better.”

“And so, the work that I put in, it was like holding on to the moment, they always doubted me and my abilities, and tried to put me in this box where I always believed in myself and that I was capable of more,” Powell continued. “So it’s a good accomplishment, but it’s not a highlight for me. You know, there’s still a lot to go out and get. There’s still a lot of wins we’ve got to get. So now we’re just focusing on how to finish these last couple of games before the break.”

The Heat’s Norman Powell gives perspective on the current point in the season

With Heat wants to keep its problems with the team hovering over .500, Powell hopes to bring some consistency back to the fold whether it’s in the locker room or on the floor. It doesn’t help that the team has dealt with players coming in and out of the lineup like Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and especially Tyler Hero, who eclipsed 40 total absences.

The urgency is at its peak, Powell told ClutchPoints that they are at the point where seeding is important while Miami is trying to reach familiar heights, with the Heat finishing as the eighth seed and in the playoffs the last three seasons.

“I can just watch and see how I can come back and impact the game,” Powell said. “It’s not always about coming back and impacting my ability, but in a leadership role. When you’re able to watch games and you’re not in it, you can see certain things that we’re missing as a team, or things that we can clean up and get better at, so let’s go back and fill that void and be more vocal to make sure we’re all in that leadership role together.”

“I know people are saying different things in the media about where we are with the teams and things like that,” Powell continued. “That we lost in games we should have won, but that doesn’t matter now, it’s all about coming back and making this right … going to the break and moving forward, because now all these games have a little extra meaning to it … So, let’s get this team back in faith and confidence in it, individually and collectively, and move forward and put the ball forward and put the basketball up.”

Either way, Powell is looking to show why he’s an All-Star in Miami’s next game on Thursday against the Boston Celtics.





2026-02-06 00:01:00

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