Like in the army, the world of the NBA has its hierarchy. Among the first, we find marshals, generals, colonels and captains, then officers and ordinary soldiers. Among the seconds, there are the superstars, the All-Stars, the complementary players and the forgotten ones on the bench. Norman Powellhe sees himself as a general, but he is above all a soldier.
The Clippers guard has nothing to be ashamed of in his career so far. He won the title in 2019 with the Raptors and averages 12.1 points after more than 500 matches played. Not to mention a $90 million contract signed in 2021.
He sees himself as a potential star
Despite everything, he aims higher, after flirting with an average of 20 points when he started, in Toronto or briefly in Portland.
“I always felt like I ended each season on a good note. I always thought I had more opportunities in my role, in the direction I want to take my career and in the way I see myself as a player,” he explains for the Los Angeles Times. “But it doesn’t always correspond with the direction or construction of the team. So I found myself looking back, banging my head against a wall, getting frustrated that I'm not where I think I should be, and fighting against the situation to try to change it. »
If this season he only averages 13.3 points, his worst since the 2018/19 season, he displays excellent percentages: 50% on the shoot including 45% at 3-pts. Above all, he plays a lot in “money time”, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, proof that he is important despite his less brilliant status than those of his All-Star teammates.
“I want the same honors that George, Leonard, Russell Westbrook, James Harden have accumulated in their careers. I see myself as one of those players,” he assures. “I work like them and I think I have shown in certain sequences in my career that I could be the player who takes charge every night, makes the decisions and is the first option of the team. But this season, given how the team is built, I took a step back and I accept having this role, which is not the one I would like. »
A transition that he made during the offseason. A lot of pressure can thus be removed from the shoulders.
“I told myself I was better than that,” he remembers during his evenings of awkwardness. “This season, I told myself that I could analyze the situation, talk about it, and then move on. I let my mistakes slide and I take some distance to learn. I think it really helped me stay balanced and in the present moment. »
Substitute for a good cause
However, it is difficult to chase away the natural for Norman Powell. At the beginning of December, after two missed matches (4 points on average at 2/8 shooting), the player was upset. Tyronn Lue then decides to set his mind straight.
“ You can't be frustrated because a player misses a pass or because you don't have enough shots. You too miss passes for your teammates,” the Clippers coach explained to him. “No one does it on purpose, so it shouldn’t take him out of the match. After our conversation, he came to me to say thank you, that he needed this. »
It must be said that the coach is well placed to know what his player is going through since the former NBA champion with the Lakers spent most of his career on the bench. Now a coach, he must make choices.
“We always want to be better, we set goals and when we play in a team that is aiming for the title, then things don’t work as they should,” notes the one who played with Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. “Is he a better player offensively than Terance Mann? Yes. But is this the best option? That is the most important. We know that he is capable of scoring 42 points in a playoff game, like last year. We know he can catch fire and score, so he can't get frustrated about that, especially when we want to win the title. »
| Norman Powell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 49 | 15 | 42.4 | 40.4 | 81.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.6 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 76 | 18 | 44.9 | 32.4 | 79.2 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 8.4 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 70 | 15 | 40.1 | 28.5 | 82.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 5.5 |
| 2018-19 | TOR | 60 | 19 | 48.3 | 40.0 | 82.7 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 8.6 |
| 2019-20 | TOR | 52 | 28 | 49.5 | 39.9 | 84.3 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 16.0 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 69 | 32 | 47.7 | 41.1 | 87.1 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 18.6 |
| 2020-21 * | TOR | 42 | 30 | 49.8 | 43.9 | 86.5 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 19.6 |
| 2020-21 * | POR | 27 | 34 | 44.3 | 36.1 | 88.0 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 17.0 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 45 | 32 | 46.1 | 41.9 | 81.1 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 19.0 |
| 2021-22 * | POR | 40 | 33 | 45.6 | 40.6 | 80.3 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 18.7 |
| 2021-22 * | LAKE | 5 | 25 | 50.8 | 54.2 | 85.7 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 21.4 |
| 2022-23 | LAKE | 60 | 26 | 47.9 | 39.7 | 81.2 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 17.0 |
| 2023-24 | LAKE | 32 | 26 | 50.5 | 44.9 | 88.2 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 13.3 |
| Total | 513 | 23 | 46.8 | 39.0 | 83.0 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 12.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
