Powell aims to prove doubters wrong with Heat
MIAMI (AP) — Norman Powell remembers what the perceptions were when he entered the NBA a decade ago. Can't shoot, not a scorer, only a defender.
He's proven them all wrong - and the Miami Heat hope he continues doing so.
Powell donned his new Heat uniform in an official capacity for the first time Monday, appearing at the team's media day in advance of Tuesday's opening training camp practice. He's coming off the best year of his career, averaging nearly 22 points per game, and the Heat are desperately hoping that scoring punch helps them this season.
"We’re excited to have Norm with us for a lot of different reasons," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, entering his 18th season in that job for Miami - making him the longest-tenured coach currently in the NBA. "That’s a big part of it, his ability to put the ball in the basket, and he can do it in a variety of ways that make sense for our team and our roster. He can do it on the ball. He can do it off the ball. He’s played a lot of different roles with the teams that he’s played on, and he’s been able to be efficient in all the different roles."
Powell - acquired by Miami in a three-team trade that saw the Heat send Kevin Love to Utah back in July - averaged 21.8 points last season for the Los Angeles Clippers and is a career 40% shooter from 3-point range.
The Heat were 24th out of 30 teams in points per game last season, plus lost Duncan Robinson - the team’s career 3-point leader - to Detroit this summer. And earlier this month, news came that All-Star guard Tyler Herro will miss at least the first few weeks of the season following surgery to address an issue that was bothering his foot and ankle.
In short, the Heat need Powell right now - especially with Herro out.
"I've always been a huge fan of Norman's game," Herro said. "He's another guy that can create for himself but also take the attention away from me a little bit. ... I know he'll hold it down until I get back, and then we'll hit the ground running together."
The numbers that Powell had last season, more often than not, lead to an All-Star Game selection. It didn't happen for him a year ago, and that - like many things have over his career - only spurs him on.
"I've always been kind of politically pushed aside or not really at the forefront of things," Powell said. "It just continues to add motivation and fuel to the fire. For me, it was more personal of a showing, that I'm capable of this."
Powell fits what the Heat want in a lot of ways. He has championship pedigree, having been part of the Toronto team that won an NBA title in 2019. He understands Spoelstra's defensive plans already and - even after spending just one offseason around the team - is fast becoming a voice in the locker room.
"The biggest thing as a vet is passing on the knowledge of what I’ve been able to accumulate over the years from the other veteran guys that I looked up to when I was a young player coming into this league," Powell said. "I’m an open book. Whatever they’re going through, whatever role situation they’re in, whatever struggles, I’ve probably seen it and been through it and experienced it."
Spoelstra said Powell was someone the Heat had watched with interest for some time, and that nobody in the organization hesitated when the chance came this summer to make the trade.
"He’s won a championship before. He’s been part of a lot of winning teams," Spoelstra said. "He takes it very seriously. He’s a competitive dude. We like that. He’s got an edge to him and his work ethic is tremendous. So, there’s a lot of things that we think fit how we approach the game."
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