After another impressive stat line in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 31, Norman Powell is already on the right track to become one of the best guards in the league. It’s surprising to see that a 31-year-old veteran is suddenly breaking out in his 12th season in the league.
During the game, Powell finished with 35 points (16 of which came in the fourth quarter), 2 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals and shot 4-for-12 from the three-point land. After a stretch of putting up more than 25 points since December 17, there’s already a buzz among the fans, analysts, and pundits about whether Norman Powell can get selected to the All-Star game for the first time in his career or not.
The West is Stacked With Superstar Guards
As great as Powell is this season, carrying the Kawhi-less Los Angeles Clippers in the jampacked Western Conference, there are still a lot of guards in the West that he has to take over. As much as fans want him on the All-Star game, the nod doesn’t rely only on the fans’ votes.
You still have guys like Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and De’Aaron Fox who are all All-Star worthy. That being said, it may not be entirely impossible, but Norman Powell playing in the 2025 All-Star game in Golden State is a bit of a long shot.
However, Powell is Already the Most Improved Player Frontrunner by a Mile
Powell may not get that All-Star nod, but Clippers fans are still at ease knowing their team is still in good hands. Sitting at the 5th seed in the West even though Kawhi is out due to injuries, Powell and the Clippers’ only aspiration this season is to win the championship, obviously.
As of this writing, Norman Powell is recording insane records and stats, making him undoubtedly the best player in his team right now, although he’s teammates with Ivica Zubac and James Harden.
- Averaging a career-high 24.6 points per game this season, adding 10 more points to his average last year (13.9). As a result, he’s already the obvious choice for the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year, clearing Tyler Herro and Jalen Williams.
- His 45.9% shooting percentage from three is the best among all players who take at least eight (8) three-pointers per game, beating the likes of Steph Curry (40.6%), Damian Lillard (36.9%), and Donovan Mitchell (41.2%)
- One of the most efficient shooters in the league with his 63.8% true shooting percentage
- Norman Powell is also the third NBA player who is only standing at 6-foot-4 to average more than 24 points and has at least 63% true shooting. The other two were Steph Curry and Damian Lillard during their prime.
With all the good things happening to the LA Clippers despite not having their franchise player, it’s safe to say they’re having a pretty nice season. They can at least secure a playoff spot once Kawhi returns and may even go harder in the postseason. If Powell continues this level of play, he’s going to be a unanimous MIP awardee. In addition, an All-Star selection isn’t far-fetched if they continue to win games.
Right now, this is a different Norman Powell. A different beast. And the league should watch out.
