Powell set to represent Heat on All-Star stage in his former NBA home: ‘This completes the story’
Norman Powell #24 of the Miami Heat looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center on January 04, 2026 in Miami.
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Miami Heat veteran guard Norman Powell has played in a bunch of different roles during his NBA career. From sixth man to fixture in the starting lineup, Powell has been used in various roles while playing for four different NBA teams during his career.
But for the first time in his 11 NBA seasons, Powell can call himself an NBA All-Star this season. It’s a goal he has had for himself for years, and now it’s a goal he can say he accomplished.
“I think it’s just one of the milestones that puts the stamp on all the work that I’ve put into this game, my career,” Powell, 32, said. “And then just how I’ve always viewed myself and saw myself in this league, being a player that is at that level of making our All-Star games, All-Star appearances. That’s what I’ve always wanted as a kid.
“I always thought I could be at this level, given the opportunity. But it was always about earning that opportunity in the roles. I wasn’t a top pick. I was a second-rounder, role player, everybody put me in that box. But I’ve always thought if I was given the opportunity on these teams that I’ve played for, I could be that for them and be a go-to guy every single night. A guy that can really help win at a high level. So I think it’s just a stamp on how I view myself in that, yeah, I am at this level and I can be at this level every single year, given the opportunity.”
Not only will Powell make his first All-Star Game appearance, but he’s also the Heat’s lone representative in this season’s NBA All-Star Game on Sunday (5 p.m., NBC and Peacock). Powell was selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve by East head coaches.
Making it even more meaningful for Powell is the fact that this season’s All-Star Game will be played at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles — his former NBA home arena during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Powell played three-plus seasons with the Clippers before being dealt to the Heat in July. Powell was in extension talks with the Clippers last summer before he was suddenly dealt to the Heat as part of a three-team trade that brought John Collins to Los Angeles.
“I think this completes the story,” Powell said of returning to Los Angeles to play in his first All-Star Game. “I think it’s like something that you can’t even write down or think of. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, the All-Star Game is in L.A. Now I’m definitely trying to make it.’ I think it just happens that way.”
Jahmir Young #17, Norman Powell #24 and Kel’el Ware #7 of the Miami Heat receive recognition for being selected for All Star Weekend activities before the game against the Utah Jazz at Kaseya Center on February 9, 2026 in Miami. Tomas Diniz Santos Getty Images
The Clippers’ decision to trade Powell to the Heat came after he produced All-Star caliber numbers for Los Angeles last regular season, averaging 21.8 points to go with 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 41.8% on 7.1 three-point attempts per game.
Powell was among six NBA players who averaged at least 21 points per game while shooting better than 48% from the field and better than 40% from three-point range last regular season along with Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine and Kawhi Leonard.
“I really thought that I’d be an All-Star last year with the team, and it didn’t happen,” said Powell, who will also take part in the NBA’s Three-Point Contest on Saturday night during All-Star Weekend. “Moves are made, and then the venue is actually where you just got traded from and you get selected to be one and go back there in front of the fans, in front of that organization. I think it’s just a nice little Easter egg to the story of my career. … I don’t think they freely wanted to give me up, but I think it’s just a little in-your-face. I still was able to do it.”
Powell did it by putting together what’s turning into arguably the best season of his NBA career, averaging a career-high 23 points per game on 47.4% shooting from the field and 39.6% shooting from three-point range through his first 45 games in his first season with the Heat.
Powell is one of only seven NBA players who entered the NBA All-Star break averaging at least 23 points per game while shooting 47% from the field or better and 39% from three-point range or better this season. The other six players on that list are the Jokic, Jamal Murray, Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards.
Making Powell’s production even more impressive is the fact that he’s thriving while also posting a career-high usage rate (an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while on the court) of 26.2% this season. He’s been the Heat’s go-to offensive option for most of the season, with last-season’s Heat leading scorer Tyler Herro limited to just 11 games so far this season because of injuries.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Powell said of taking on a bigger offensive role in his first season with the Heat. “Honestly, when I think about it, this is something that I’ve always wanted. Being a focal point, being at the top of the scouting report. … Taking on the responsibility when the team is losing, things aren’t going well or you don’t perform at the level you want to. And then cherishing the moments of triumphing and going on these win streaks and beating the No. 1 team and things like that and taking that responsibility as well. So it’s been fun for me. It hasn’t been perfect. But just learning how to be more vulnerable with myself and how I can get better, how I can improve and show up for the team when they need me to show up, be the punching bag and be coachable.”
It hasn’t been perfect for Powell because the team’s success hasn’t met his individual success. The Heat entered the week-long All-Star break in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a middling 29-27 record, and in danger of needing to qualify for the playoffs through the NBA’s play-in tournament for the fourth straight season.
“I’m never content,” Powell said, with the Heat now in the middle of the NBA All-Star break before resuming its schedule on Friday against the Hawks in Atlanta. “I’m trying to always improve, and I’m trying to see how we can improve as a team. So that’s where my mind is kind of at, and there are some areas that we need to clean up defensively and offensively.”
Powell is the 12th different Heat player in franchise history to be selected as an NBA All-Star (Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Anthony Mason, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Herro and Powell).
Under the new NBA All-Star Game format, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (the World team) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games for this season’s showcase event. Powell, who has Jamaican roots, is on Team World.
“I feel like everything that I’ve wanted to do or experience or get out of my career has happened in some way, shape, or form, whether that’s meeting certain people or being around or playing for certain teams,” said Powell, who grew up idolizing Wade and was excited to join the Heat. “So it’s just been a lot of fun. I feel like I’ve been in the most content place for me in my personal life and on and off the court, and just preparing and taking on the role that I’ve taken on this year and how I can be better and still improve in this new expanded role. So it’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve just been taking it in stride.”
Powell hopes his first season with the Heat isn’t also his last with the Heat, as he’s on an expiring $20.5 million salary this season. But Powell is still eligible for an extension following his move to the Heat.
Powell is currently eligible for the same four-year, $128.5 million maximum extension he hoped to get from the Clippers, with a 2026-27 starting salary of $28.7 million. If Powell can’t agree to an extension with the Heat by June 30, 2026, he would become an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
“This is definitely a place that I want to be,” Herro said of the Heat. “It’s been nothing but great. Coming here getting adjusted. The organization has been amazing. I love where I’m at. I love the setup. I love the mentality. I love the approach.”
Powell believes he has found the “perfect fit for me” with the Heat.
“Hopefully there’s some good synergy from what they’ve seen that I bring to the table,” Powell said. “And hopefully a deal is able to be done sometime. But yeah, I see myself being here and being a part of the Heat organization for however long they’ll have me.”
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Anthony Chiang
Miami Herald
Anthony Chiang covers the Miami Heat for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and was born and raised in Miami.
