Josh Lewenberg: Fred VanVleet on his career-high 36 points… and scoring 3 more points than Lowry did on Saturday: “That’s a double whammy right there. I’ll take that.” He joked that he was disappointed he couldn’t top the 37 that Powell scored earlier this season.
Norman Powell Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: G
Born: 05/25/93
Height: 6-3 / 1.91
Weight:215 lbs. / 97.5 kg.
Salary: $10,116,576
Born: 05/25/93
Height: 6-3 / 1.91
Weight:215 lbs. / 97.5 kg.
Salary: $10,116,576
The least amount of time that anyone in the Raptors travelling party will have been away from their families by the time the second round of the playoffs begin – which is when families can come to Disney World – will be 10 weeks. Webster and Ujiri – each with young families at home – are no exception. “They’re really committed to the organization — that goes without saying — but they’re committed to what we’re doing,” said Raptors guard Norman Powell.
When the Raptors left the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Naples, Fla., to make their way to Orlando after having spent two weeks there in ‘pre-quarantine,’ they looked up to see a pair of gleaming buses in the franchise’s Black and Red colour scheme with “Black Lives Matter” emblazoned on the side. “We didn’t know they were doing that, or at least I didn’t know,” said Powell, who has been outspoken in his support for social justice and is donating proceeds of his “Am I Next” shirts from his clothing line to a pair of charities aligned with the cause. “… But it was really cool to walk out of the lobby and see those buses with Black Lives Matter out there. I really like that.”
Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell called out the NBA for being halfway in on allowing players to speak on matters of social justice. The NBA initially announced that players would be allowed to replace the name on their jersey to show support and raise awareness, but later came out with a strict list of 29 approved messages. Powell felt the list was restricting and that it undercut what some players had hoped to do with the opportunity. “I wish there wasn’t even a list. It’s a topic where it’s freedom of speech, and you’re taking your name off the back of your jersey to put something that matters to you, that speaks volumes to how you view things and your approach to life. You shouldn’t be boxed in to say you can only say this much, or this is okay for you to say. You shouldn’t be boxed in on a topic like this,” Powell said in a conference call.
“I was really upset about the whole change where it was really limited. The list was very cookie-cutter. It doesn’t really touch the topics of what we’re trying to achieve here. With that being said, I chose Black Lives Matter — it was the most radical that spoke to where I stand,” Powell said.
Blake Murphy: Norman Powell is donating all the proceeds from his UTG clothing to Black causes, and is going to match whatever is raised. He’s also been contributing to his Understanding Crime initiative, and is talking to other players/NBPA about other ways to help.
Half or more of their players and staff are in the U.S. at the moment – including Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, OG Anunoby and Terence Davis. According to sources, none of the Raptors who were outside Canada have made their way back to Toronto since the OVO Athletic Centre was made available for workouts beginning May 11.
Other players have taken advantage of the academic and business world in more individual ways. Nets forward Garrett Temple, for instance, is currently studying for his LSAT; Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum has spent time working on his real estate portfolio; and Raptors guard Norman Powell is both brushing up on his sign language and learning Spanish through online courses, to name just a few.
Now, one month later, the fifth-year pro is doing whatever he can to stay positive and make the best of an unfortunate situation. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. He’s made a career out of overcoming setbacks. “It’s been the same mindset and the same focus [for me],” said Powell, speaking on a conference call from his home in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon. “You just have to change your workouts and adjust to what’s available to you. But other than that the motivation hasn’t been changed at all. I’m still the same motivated person.”
However, true to character, he’s keeping his head up and doing everything he can to make sure that he’s ready when the time does come. “We have to remain optimistic and hopeful that we’ll be able to get back on the court, and things will go back to normal sooner than later,” said Powell, who was averaging a career-high 16.4 points – nearly doubling his average from the year before – in 44 games when the NBA hit pause.
“That just comes with, overall, wanting the world to be back running as usual, with everybody healthy and things like that. It’s more than just wanting to get back on the court. You’re worried about the grand scheme of things, on a global scale. You have family members that need to get back to work and provide for their families. So I’m optimistic that if we’re able to resume, then everything else will start to come back and the world will get back running.”
Doug Smith: Norm Powell, with some big time insight, just told us he’s taking on-line sign language classes in NBA downtime. “I always found it a beautiful language to learn and be a part of and I love that community. It was just a little side hobby and interest of mine since I was a kid.”
Whereas the last several years saw the Hyperdunk silhouette top our list, this year the Hyperdunk is no more, replaced in Nike’s catalogue by the much less popular Nike Zoom Rize and Nike AlphaDunk. Taking the crown at #1 is the Nike Kobe 4 Protro, an updated version of the extremely popular Kobe 4, first released in 2008. The shoe is worn by everyone from scoring guards like Norman Powell and Devin Booker to bigs like Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis.
Josh Lewenberg: Nurse says Powell’s ankle injury isn’t too serious, thinks he’ll be able to play Saturday.
Paul Jones: From #Raptors media relations UPDATE: Norman Powell, left ankle sprain, will not return. #rtz
Eric Koreen: Powell and McCaw are back. VanVleet and Ibaka are out with shoulder and knee soreness, respectively
Josh Lewenberg: The Raptors are listing Serge Ibaka as questionable for tonight’s game vs Charlotte with right knee soreness. As we learned yesterday, Norm Powell has been upgraded to questionable and could make his return. Pat McCaw is probable. Marc Gasol is still out.
Josh Lewenberg: Pat McCaw is still sick and “very questionable” for tonight. Gasol and Powell remain out.
Eric Koreen: Gasol is in Toronto and was back at facility this afternoon and is a possibility for Friday’s game. Powell’s next doctors appointment is within a week
Tim Bontemps: The Raptors say Norm Powell fractured his fourth metatarsal in his left hand. He is out indefinitely.
Josh Lewenberg: DeMar DeRozan – who grew up idolizing Kobe, modeled him game after Kobe, and was mentored by Kobe – shared an emotional moment on the court with former Raptors teammates Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell and Fred VanVleet before today’s game.
Ryan Wolstat: Norman Powell is out tonight
Brad Fay: This is the good stuff. #Raptors guard Norm Powell surprised several families displaced by a fire last month at 235 Gosford. He had the kids write a wish list to Santa and he made sure they all got what they asked for today, at the hotel where they have been living.
Ryan Wolstat: OK, Raptors just announced Siakam out indefinitely too with a groin issue. Gasol and Powell as expected.
Rod Beard: #Raptors Norman Powell is down and holding his left shoulder. He’s in some significant pain and will go straight to the locker room.
Ryan Wolstat: “When he’s down there, he’s a problem. We want him to be aggressive.” Norman Powell of Marc Gasol in the post.
Josh Lewenberg: So, the Raptors had 7 players score in double figures, got a season-high 55 points from the bench, hit 20 3s (on 43 attempts), and recorded a franchise record 40 assists (on 50 made FGs). OG (24) and Davis (16) set career-highs in scoring, Norm (6) in assists. Dominant 132-96 win
Raptors center Marc Gasol said the team still has NBA title aspirations, even if they aren’t the biggest favorite. “We’re not worried about that. We don’t really listen to the outside noise,” Powell said. “We stick to the internal beliefs. We know what we can do. We just go out there and compete at a high level. We believe in ourselves. That’s all that matters.”
Josh Lewenberg: To little surprise, Nurse says he sees the starters being fluid this year. “I think there’s a big group of guys that could start a number of games.” The first 3 names he mentioned – Lowry/Siakam/Gasol – figure to be regulars but he also brought up Ibaka, VanVleet, Norm, OG, McCaw
Ryan Wolstat: Norman Powell says Nick Nurse likes to keep opponents on their toes, so starting lineup probably will fluctuate again. Says the East is really balanced, will be a good fight without much situation between any teams.
Josh Lewenberg: Norm Powell told me he talked to Kawhi over the weekend: “I’m happy for him, honestly. I told him best of luck. I’ll definitely hit him up when I get to San Diego and we’ll workout a bit this summer. I joked about guarding him and locking him up. It was a good conversation.”
We still don’t know when the Toronto Raptors and LA Clippers will play each other for the first time next season but Norman Powell is already looking forward to playing against his former teammate Kawhi Leonard. “We’re just happy for him,” Powell said of Leonard in an interview with ESPN at Summer League. “He gave everything he had in that first season with us and he brought home the championship. We’re just wishing him the best in his choice and his new opportunity with the Clippers.”
“I can’t wait to go out there and guard him,” Powell continued with a smile on his face. “I’ve already talked to him about it, how I’m going to lock him up, and having fun with it, so I’m excited.”
Norman Powell: O Canada I don’t even know how to describe how I’m feeling right now. Yesterday you guys showed up and showed out. Truly Unbelievable you fans are truly THE BEST IN THE WORLD. I will never forget this moment for the rest of my LIFE . We NBA Champions🏆. Truly Blessed and thankful to be apart of HISTORY. #UTG #Raptors
“I got some clean looks,” Green said. “I just didn’t get the rhythm that I was hoping to get. But Norm [Powell], and Fred, they got some pretty good looks because they handle the ball more, they had more ball handlers on the floor at that time where they could attack and find each other. They got some open looks and they got a rhythm and, obviously, some of the time, they weren’t guarding Norm as a shooter and then he started hitting some and then they started playing him closely and they both attacked the basket and his game is getting to the rim, getting to the basket. But he hit some big shots for us. And then Fred, just him just being active and moving … thank God for Freddie Jr. He got some good looks and he was just knocking them down.”
It was a special moment to witness: Not just a franchise’s history and fortune changing before your eyes, but a city’s. “The true fans who are standing out there in Jurassic Park in the rain, filling the arena early, chanting, cheering, never giving up,” Norman Powell said. “Since day one, this building, this whole organization with all the great players who have played here and came to Toronto, they’ve been great. And you can see it. You feel the vibes around the city. You feel the wave around the city. It’s special what we’re able to do, to create history. And I think since day one the fans really believed this season that we could achieve and get over the jump finally and make it to the Finals.”
The next 7:32 of play will live on in Raptors history forever. The Raptors won those minutes 26-3, creating an eight-point lead, a hold on the game they would not relinquish. “It’s what you play basketball for, for those moments,” Norman Powell said. “The one thing Kawhi (Leonard) really stressed to us was just to enjoy it. Don’t get too out of character, just enjoy the moment and continue to go out there and just lay it on the floor. So it was an amazing feeling just to be able to battle and chip away at it. It’s how you make history.”
Ryan Wolstat: Nurse on not going with double big combo/low Ibaka minutes: “I guess I just wasn’t feeling the big lineup.” Says Norm playing really well, VanVleet doing everything but hitting shots. Gasol and Siakam rolling too.
Ryan Wolstat: Nick Nurse on Norman Powell: “He’s been very good at both ends.” Says again he’ll get more minutes.
