NBA Rookie Life with Ryan HollinsNorman Powell on the Superman Dunk, Kawhi and His Career High
Ryan talks with the Clippers' Norman Powell about being traded to the Raptors right after being drafted, playing against LeBron, and the viral video of Kawhi leaving him hanging. Norman talks about the importance of mindset and the story behind his career high game.
NBA Rookie Life with Ryan Hollins is a production of iHeartMedia and the NBA.
How's everybody doing. I want to welcome you into a really cool episode of Mine of NBA Rookie Life with Ryan hollins Man. This man was a NBA champion in twenty nineteen PAC twelve All First Team Pac twelve selection. He was the forty six pick in the twenty fifteenth draft. Forgive me, Man, I guess listen, Man, it's like my little brother right here. Norman. What's going on with you? Man? My guy Norman Pow? What's up? Man?
And Sarah? Are you doing?
Man?
Appreciate you having me.
On Man doing great? Man. I know we've been trying to coordinate this for a while. And Norman, you're always one of my favorites because you were kind of a part of one of my rookie years. My first time working on television was calling. I didn't call the game. I was doing the pre and post for the UCLA games. I don't know if you know that that was like my first real shot on TV. I was in the league at that time, but it was during the lockout, so I thought it was really cool to come back. And I remember the one thing I was always prepped to do is do my homework, and I remember researching all the guys or everybody on the team. I remember pulling you up, watching your clips of seeing it. I'm like, man, he got bounced, Okay, he can defend. Damn all right, he.
Got a j ball like he got swagged. I'm like, y'all tripping. They not talking about him more. I'm like, he's league, he's nice man.
But I do remember going back and seeing that, and then kind of watching your career U c l A. Watching you come into your own around the tournament time, and like, you know, we both played for Ben. I know you know people for those who don't know Ben, gonna make sure you know every rotation, right, you're gonna take a charge. You gotta get get locking this dand you're not and this if you don't get, if you don't get low and if you don't take a charge, you already know what's happening. We line up, do charge real charge. Ben been gonna start.
Practicing that man diving on the floor, all of that man physicianing.
Oh man, Yeah, I kind of had defense on lock.
But I do remember watching you and going, are they bugging he that dude? He that dude? And then watch you take over man. It was really fun. But man, knowing you did you thing in u c l A. Walk me through that draft experience for you? You know, what was it like? How many workouts did you have? Did you know where you were going to go? How confident did you feel you end up staying? What did you You stayed the whole for right? Or that's very that's extremely rare that guys of your talent and caliber stayed four years. But sure then do they thing in the league? Man? They had the success that you have, So what was it? You know, were you thinking about coming out that third year and when you finally came out? Walked me through that kind of that process and the expectations.
Yeah, man, I honestly I think I had like the expectations of all you know, all the young dudes coming into the after high school.
Oh man, I might be one and done. You know, I'm.
Sure thing and it goes straight to the league. But you know, it didn't happen like that for me. You know a lot of ups and downs, you know, for us, like political stuff that you feel is going on in college, not getting minutes you play, not getting an opportunity. But I think everything that I went through those four years two with coach holland too with coach Alford, really like prepped me for the.
League, you know.
So I'm actually happy that, you know, I didn't make the jump, you know, because I went through so much physically and mentally, you know, I think it really prepared me for the jump into the league after my fourth year. But it was tough going through the whole draft process. Like people don't know, like how much of a grind that really is. And for me, you know, being a four year college player and coming out and having you know the mid mid late early second you know, undrafted range. You know, it's a lot, so like having to make up that ground and show that try to increase your draft stock. I worked up all in all up until like the day before the draft.
League.
My last work out the day before the draft was the Lakers. It was my second workout with the Lakers. So I had nineteen pree draft workouts.
For those who don't know, when you're going through these workouts, they're testing you mentally, physically, emotionally like you were you are running drills and you know you're auditioning for I want to save your life. The trajectory of your life so you have nineteen moments where you ain't got no legs and they're like, man, he worked out for the jazz the other day. They like, we don't care. We want to like flying out.
To Washington, right out to Washington, right after the workout, a little exit interview from the workout, answered a couple of questions, They give you a little mill. Then you ride on the plane to the next city, getting ready to work out again the next day or in between the day. But nineteen workouts was a lot, and it mentally was draining by the time I was done with it, you know I did. I was confident, you know, throughout all the workouts. I think I only had maybe like two or three workouts where I felt after leaving, like you do your own personal assessment, like damn, I could have a little better, you know, I could have done this. So to only have like two or three where you feel that you know you could have done a little better, And after having nineteen of them, it was a pretty good spot for me to be in. I felt super confident.
You know.
I thought I went up against some of the guys that were in my draft class, in my position.
Who were some of those guys at the time.
Rashavon, Terry Rozier. Yes, I couldn't catch RJ.
Hunter. I don't know if he was ducking me.
Hold on, dog, you were hunting, you were hunting after people.
I went.
I made sure my agent, you know, that's an insight. So I actually, you know, competing against these dudes because I know they were in my position. So you know, I went head hunting a little bit and trying to find some of these guys so I can go up against them. But it was a lot of fun. I loved the process. I loved the competition and just like the whole experience of it. But by the time I was done, like I was definitely exhausted, but I felt confident.
I felt really good.
I thought I put on a good show and showcase the areas where they said I needed to improve, you know, my three ball, you know, for sure, I didn't know if I could shoot it too well in the league at the time, coming out being able to score and actually like playmake and do it because in college I was a slasher. You know, everything was in transition, straight downhill to the rim, dunking on dudes, finishing, getting to the free throw line, So I thought I showcased everything that I was able to do at the next level. So I felt really, really confident that I was going to be, you know, in that like mid to late first round.
But it didn't happen.
So that that draft, that whole draft night was a kind of bittersweet moment for me.
Real quick before we get into the draft. Was there a draft workout that you remember, like that you just killed or like was just like, yo, we're doing something crazy here, anything that like stood out, Like I remember when I worked out for Toronto. Sam Mitchell was there. At the end of the workout, bro, no, Lie, we do a drill where you hit the sideline, you come back plus one sideline other sideline come back. If you miss, it's minus two, so you can't go negative, but you got to get seven. And I remember doing the drill, I was working out shout out ricoheines Man worked out with Toasting, and I was like, like, I just I run harder after I missed, Like I'm just I was just mentally prepared for all that. And I remember Buddy on the other end he quit, dude, Dude quit the drill fro. So I was like, yo, he's just a rap. But I'm like, I just remember, like, yo, this is on some grind stuff, like everybody not made for this. Do you have anything that kind of stock out from you in that draft from the workout pros because people don't know the draft workout is more grueling than anything you're actually going to do in the league.
Yeah.
No, the two minute drill, the two minute drill with the sprints that they do in Boston, so you're doing side as many sprints as you can in two minutes back the full length of the court, you know, and like some guys have like some outrageous like like twenty three, twenty five, thirty like line that's that's back and forth. Yes, so the two minute drill that they had doing, Man, I was gassed after that. I think that was like the hardest thing testing your conditioning because like not only is it testing, you can testing your mental as well.
You know, just like are you gonna quit?
You know?
Uh, you know, once you get the ten.
To did you run by yourself or did they make you run with somebody else?
That was group?
It was a group.
So yeah, it was a group.
So you know you're you're going up against the next person, and somebody might be faster than you say you're like all right, Like I'm not trying to be last. So's it's a little competition when you're looking over to like all right, like this dude a length ahead of me, Like how do I catch up? How do I outwork him? I think that was like the hardest part of the workouts. Everything else, like I was ready for like the full court one on one, the full court two on two, three on three, like the breakdown parts of it. You know, that's competition. So like that was like I was looking forward to those things, but the conditioning piece of it.
You know, you do a two minute drill.
And in Washington then they got a different you know, shooting drill that's full court, you know, and they're and they're counting how many makes like you said, the plus minus when you make or mints and corner of the corner, the star shooting drill, you know where his full court corner, corner, wing, wing, wing, wing, top top corner corner, like like everything like that was was definitely tough. But my most dominant workout, It's funny you said Toronto, because my most dominant workout was Toronto and that's why I caught. It was funny because they brought me into to go against him because he was a younger. He was under coming out. I think it was either his rookie and I was rookie. His freshman or sophomore year. He was coming out, so they wanted to test them to see how he matched up against, you know, a more mature, older guy, you know, to test his mentality and that that was probably the worst thing they could have done, because like I was looking at him like, oh you and my yeah, you and my spot, like you in front of me. So and my mentality and approach to everything is just totally different. I feel like from a lot of guys where they're going into like showcased or swag and they think it's like easy and all cool. Like I'm coming in, like I want your spot, you know, I want this more than you. So I like, I absolutely Like they still talk about the workout till this day when I see the guys that were there, Like they still talk about.
Hold on what you do to this man? This man in the workout?
It was nuts, man, it was nuts. So like we did three on three full court. I guarded him, was locking them up. The only way he got loose was like pick and roll stuff like that. But then we did we broke up the bigs in and the guards and we did one on one and I kid you not, he did not score in the one on one sessions at all.
Like at all. It was like like one of.
Like hey, don't you give him a mercy jumper.
It was over it like like it was bad.
It was bad, like he didn't score it at all. And it's cool because I like that, that's my that's my dog.
But it's a little different.
When you going, uh man, it's like nothing matters now in between the line. But like, yeah, I dominated them the whole workout. They actually talk about it. I ripped the ball from him and the three on three stuff and went full court and did like a crazy windmill dunking and transition.
Yeah, like the air off the building. They're like, yo, what the heck is going on here? Uh that?
And then when you're talking about the drills, uh, in Toronto they had a dunk drill, so like they had big Cat Jamalma Glore, big big, like he likes to talk.
You know, you're talking crazy, like you weak? What you got?
What you got so like I think they had him in there, you know, just to like test guys and how they're going to respond. And I looked at him crazy. I'm like, he's like, man, can you even dunk? Like I'm like, you don't know what you're talking to? Man, Like, well we're gonna find out. I'm all about this, this and this. I'm like, all right, man, like I'm not the one, like I'm not the one to talk to. So for the drill, they have two balls on the east block, all right, and and usually it's like a big man drill, but they do it for like like the guard.
That's about to say, that's a he had you hit the Superman from from the two guns spot, Like.
You picked the ball up dunk, pick the ball up dunk, pick the ball up dunk. So you do that, uh ten times all right, And like some guys, like even like some of the bigs that was in my group, like they dunk maybe two three. And you know what I'm saying this, it's like like you know, lay up, you know the mellow finish like quick, you know me every single one up. He was talking crazy, every single one of boom boom going down. I was dunk all ten of them.
Crazy. I was like, I looked at him, who can't dunk?
Who I was?
I was going crazy?
Hold on, know you got a coach in the workout?
Yeah, like who can't dunk?
But you know like big Cat like now you know I went playing in Toronto like big Cat like that he wants to see like a respond like that and not you know, like going to a shell.
Im.
I went crazy like NA, like you ain't gonna talk nothing to me, Like I back it up, man, this is what I do. So that was probably like my most like memorable and like fun workout where I felt like, man, I I might be able to go because they had the twentieth pick that year, like the way like he was. It was him. I think they had Terry was year as like the one the top two guys shooting guards, and I think I was like five or like six in terms of like the class rankings and guard positions. And I was like, oh man, they want me in for him, and they're probably looking at him taking that twenty and where I dominated him, I could have shot up.
You know.
It was it was It was a good time that that whole pre draft workout but it was a tiring experience for sure.
You know what funny, I had sibling in Charlotte where I ended up going. I had my workout and I had a bunch of work out. Don't get me wrong, I was killing it. I was doing my thing. But I knew with the fiftieth pick, I was like, I'm not going lower than this, like I just knew. I Like I dove out of bounds after a ball.
It was funny, like you're doing everything.
Oh yeah, yeah, dudes quit I know. After the ball. They was like, oh he's crazy, this dude is nothing. Ball was way off of the thing.
Like you try to show everything, even like where it's like like like you know, you hear the stories about like like the Miami like like pat Riley like testing dudes and no water, this, that and the other, like trying to see like like if they're going to break and so like I made it a point like I'm not drinking no water, like I'm not doing the whole work.
I'm going when.
They make no water break nor when they're arresting and stuff like that. I was shooting free throws like I was like trying to show you trying to do like all trying to show that like you're mentally like prepared and built for this, like no matter what is in front of you, like you're gonna be able to overcome and push yourself through. So I made it a point like I'm not I'm not drinking no water through the workouts. Like after that's when I was like guzzling down.
The water bottle. Yeah yeah, I'm tired.
But like it was like little tricks things that I tried to do just to show like how I'm built mentally.
I remember I had did the dunk drill and I went last first dude? Did you know seven A dude did like seventeen. He was dying. They said, you know, dunk till you can't no more. Long story short, I'm getting up into fifty pieces and they I hear at some point they're talking to themselves like Yo, this dude is crazy. I'm screaming every time like maybe and they're like, okay, just do ten more. Man. At last one. I had to reverse that thing, like you know, you know that's what's upthing. It's funny on we had very sitting down. I didn't get the bread, you got it the success, but we have very similar similar stories from those regards. What was it like draft day? Man? Because for me, Bro I had a hitless. I went fifty if so I have forty nine dudes on my list, you know what I'm saying, especially in my position, What were you like Draft Day? Where were you? I was over at Anaheim ESPN Zone. Where were you? What was your mindset? Just watching the draft and knowing, you know, kind of the success you had it? Like, man, I just killed that, Like they saw what I was on, So you know what was going through your head? Who were you watching? Talk to me? Who you with me? Let me know your Draft day story?
Man.
Yeah, so one of my boys, he stayed to night and my crib. You know, we just like talking about the draft and possibilities.
What it looked like.
He had a few friends that were connected with a few teams, you know, so just like you know, give me like little rumors and things like that. You know, But we were hanging out talking next day. I remember him make waking me up in the room, like he busted in the room and was playing a Draft Day by Drake.
You know what I'm saying.
Jenny Minzell, you know, like draft Day, all that Andrew Wiggins. He was playing that whole song and going crazyhypping me up, and you.
Had no idea you going to Toronto, but you're playing Draft Day.
No no idea, no idea.
I just thought about that.
It's even crazier when like, like like how everything has like unfolded in my career just because like backstory to the draft story with especially with like Drake. In high school, Like my my high school coach was a big jay Z fan, right, and I was watching Drake when he was on like The Grassy and stuff because like my sisters like loved The Grassy so like will Chair Jimmy all that, Like I was huge fan. And I was like, like sophomore year, junior in high school, I was telling my coach like, Drake about to be bigger.
Than jay Z.
Watch Watch and He's like a whole no way. I'm like, I'm telling you, man, he's gonna be nice. And so when I got to college, he had texted me. I think I still have the text. He's like, man, he was right about Drake. Man, he might he might got hold, he might take hold spot. And I was like, man, I told you, but like it's just like the whole story that like it's just funny, like how it all like unfolded. But yeah, I didn't know anything about the draft. I talked to my agent once, you know, and he said that, you know, everything's looking good. You know, we'll see how it ends up. But he was in uh he was in New York with Kavan Looney because he was Covan was his client as well, and Kavan got invited to the green room, so he was out there with him and my mom and my sisters. They set up a draft viewing party down in San Diego downtown at Fox Sports. So we're at a little bar like all rented out my family friends growing up, my college teammates that I was close with, high school teammates, they all came out and we're sitting there. We're watching the draft and I'm chilling. You know, I'm good because I know like as soon as it starts getting into my range, that's when I started like paying attention.
Would you feel like your range was you said in late first round?
Right, yeah, yeah, mid late first round, early second then undrafted was like like the range. But then like going through the nineteen workouts that I had, like I felt like.
You know, I'm going to Roy Dawson.
Yeah, I could have wrote my soccer a little bit. So I started paying attention a little more around like the eighteenth pick because Toronto was coming up, and I was like, man, that was my best workout, and so they ended up taking the lung right at twenty and then I shot round with the Milwaukee Terry Rizer went off the word. I think he went to Boston and then around I think r J. Hunter went with like twenty ninth or some pick. And then, like I said, I worked out with the Lakers my last workout the day before the draft, and I was a callback. Me and Anthony Brown had got called back the workout again. Sam, Yeah, and I killed that workout, and I will say he shot it better than me.
That the second workout he shot it way better than me.
But throughout the competition pieces and like the skill pieces and stuff like that, I felt like I did a way better job showing him like how versatile I am, you know, off the ball, pinned downs on the ball, pick and roll stuff like that, gett into the rim finishing. But he did shoot the ball better than me, but he was already a three point shooter. And at Stanley anyway, So he ended up going I think the thirty second pick and on it once it got past like thirty five, and like I'm seeing these other dudes like get off the board.
I'm like, I'm about to walk out this draft like like.
Getting drafted like everybody that like I went up against everybody that I felt like I outperformed that was in my position, like like or like a tweeter, Like I felt like I outplayed in my workout. So I'm like, man, I'm not doing this, like I'm not about to sit here and watch like you know, you hear the stories about.
Guys, bro, you're about to leave.
Yeah, oh man, I was about to leave.
I was.
I was pitching. I'm trying to call my agent, like yo, what's going on here? Like you said this, this and this and like nothing. He's going through it because Kavan was going through it at the draft because he fell out of the green like the lottery.
So like he's he's trying.
He's dealing with two fires at the same time, and so like I'm like, man, I'm out of here, and so like by the time I'm about to walk away, Tier you know, you.
Know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shout out tie.
And so it's tires my two high school coaches. Like I'm getting ready to walk out, like I'm over here fuming like pissed, and so uh they grabbed me like no, man, like all everybody come in like it don't matter, you know, like you're around family, like loved ones, like we're gonna love you with it drafted or not, this, that and the other. They roomed me back in and so by the time, like now it's so much commotion because like they know like how I'm feeling. I finally call my agent. He finally pick up, and like by the time he picked up, and so by the time I'm about to uh go off on him, my my head coach at my high school, coach, Jason Bryant, he telled me to look up, look up, like and I got just gotten.
Drafted at forty six.
And so I'm on, I'm on the phone mad, but then like I look in my name come across the board, so like like I hang the phone up, and like from there it was just like pure like joy, like a mix of him up like I was happy, I was sad, I was mad, you know, so like like all the emotions came out like I was crying, you know because like obviously it's a tech around or not.
Like you get your name.
Called like sixty sixty people get their name called, like so I have my name called like it was a It was a mix of motions. But like every I think every photo that I took from their point, like you could see that I was just like balling my eyes out from being drafted. And by the time by the time like like I hung up and like caught myself and began getting drafted in my name coming across the board he had the commission. I walked out again and said that I was there was a trade and I got traded through Toronto. So then I got even more excited because that's where that's where I wanted to be and that was my best workout. So crazy moment for me when I got drafted, because I was literally about to leave my viewing party, I was like, man, I'm out.
It was nuts. I feel the same way I didn't bro. I got drafted doing a commercial and my pops, my pops think I'm super bad dog. I love my pops. Listen to this day man, And he was like, yeah, you got drafted.
And I'm like, man, stop it, man, like, bro, this is not funny right now, because it was during the commercial. I was about to get mad at my pops and then everybody starts celebrating. I'm like, oh, man, you know it was a right but hey, norm I had me and Hitless Boy.
I was watching them names different.
Oh yeah, like oh it was.
It was on because like I said, like I had one during the draft because like I know who's in front of me, So now I know who's in front of me in the in the actual draft, and so like I had it, I had it marked. I was ready, like, okay, summer league. This dude's playing in summer league. The top guys like I know, like they don't really play in summer league, you know what I'm saying. But the other ones that that that are still you know, like like the later first round picks that the guys in the early early second round, like, oh, I know you're playing this like where a summer league schedule at who were playing who were playing in summer league, So I know who I gotta go up against and who I got to show that that I'll compete during the games. So I was ready, like I was I was locked in, Like I was already thinking by the time we wrapped up the draft party and like you know, you go off celebrate with your By the time we got to like like the club like to celebrate, like I was already talking to them about about Summer League, like all right, like this is who I'm going after, and this is what I'm about to do. I'm about to go out there and show them that all the knocks that they're saying, Oh I can't score, I can't shoot, you know, Oh, don't worry about it. I got all of that on wraps. So I was ready to go for Summer League.
And norm like I'm not saying it's just because you're my boy, Like you have that like that Kobe Bryant, Like when I watch you, like you had that Kobe Bryant skill set where it's like, all right, he could be floating, but like that dude could get unguardable, like if he's cooking, it's a wrap. That's why with your shot, I'm like, oh no, he can get it shot off. It's just it's just confidence. Is the ball in his hands? All right? What was what was VET camp like for? People don't know Norm. I know you a grinder, bro. I remember watching in the journey. You know, you did some league, you did all the if that, you did every workout possible. But VET camp is a lot different because you see kind of the training camp guys and you get the VET camp You're like, oh, snap, like these are the real guys on the team here. So what was that camp like for you? What stood out? Man? From that kind of I always like to call it the first day of school.
It was a lot of fun for me.
I just remember that because in the summer I got to work out from like Summer League. I got to work out one time with Tomorrow, you know, and like Tomorrow was one of my favorite players in high school growing up watching him, so like being on the same team actually get to work out with him was dope.
I only worked out with him one time.
But going into VET camp just seeing how all the guys like prepared, you know, like me, like I like to like study, you know, I just don't want to go in and like oh, like I'm here and like show that Like I'm like I'm sitting back like I'm watching okay, Like this is how this dude prepares, Like this is how he gets ready and how how can I like take bits and pieces from their preparation and their approach to the game. So it was definitely like eye opening, cause like how we do, like how they teach, like the young guys when you're going into like pre like training camp and summer League, like those workouts and things like that, it's more like group oriented. It's more like like teaching the ins and out to what you want to do in the foundations of defense and offense and how we want to play and things like that. So getting those like VET guys in and seeing how Kyle Lawry, Damary Carroll, Damar James Johnson, Patrick Patterson, all those dudes like each like get ready to go with their day and what their workouts entail. It was a lot of fun just sitting there studying and watching them because it was so different.
You know, like I'm over here thinking that like I'm.
Doing a lot of all these things that this is like like I'm doing like excess, and these dudes are like so efficient with what they're doing and what they're trying to work on, what they're trying to improve on. So it was a lot of fun watching them and then not only that just going up against them, you know, and and and showing them that like I'm here to compete, and like I'm here to keep my spot, you know. And I think that that was the respect that I got from them. You know, like this this dude, this young dude is coming in like he's not like the other ones.
He's not here playing around.
He's not here just to enjoy what being in the NBA brings, you know, the lifestyle things like that, Like he's committed to the game, like he loves the game. And that's where like the respect factor started to build with them because they saw my work ethic group, my drive, and my mentality and like my love for the game. But I'd always oh man, I probably got on Kyle and Damar's nerves with all the questions, all the questions I was asking them, and all the workouts and things that we did when we're going like semi live like me, semi live is live. So you know, Damar moved the slow shot fakes and everything. I'm bodying him like it's the playoffs, Like, oh no, I'm here, all that stuff ain't gonna work on me. And like obviously it did, but just that mentality of like I'm going up against you, whether it's we walked through in we seemi live, we live like I'm here at one hundred and ten percent every single day, you know, because I want to get to where you're at. So it was a fun time for me that that whole back camp and just leading into Brookie Year.
I got Stay tuned. Coming up next as the NBA Brookife Film Room with Norman Powell Man. He talks about this monster dunk he had over Julius Randall. I think you saw that it came through your phone and all that good stuff. There's something you don't know about this dump though, Stay tuned. Did you have a welcome to the league moment or kind of like it like dang, this ain't this ain't college no more? Like man, or like dog, I can't guard this dude to save my life. Did anybody just just just mess around and give you the business that maybe you didn't expect, or just like hey man, like hey dog, I got it today, like you consider yourself a dependent but like, yo, what's going on here? Bro?
Yeah? Man?
So it's crazy to me because like you know, I was the defensive guy in college. You know, Yes, I never liked playing these is like if you talk to my high school coaches, I wasn't the one playing defense, but going with coach Hallen, like you know, I had to always had the ability. So like my high school coaches, my AU coaches would be on me about defense, like you should be able to guard all your athletic you'r long b b bah bah.
I'm like, man, I'm trying to put.
She was talking about, I'm doing a little wrap around defense, wrap around backtap and going to get it done.
Like yes, Coach Hellen changed all that.
But for being in the league, like the way a lot of guys think it's like, oh, I'm going in the score like, but it doesn't really work like that, especially with my team that I came on, like demarw Kyle will like to go to guys so like we playing for them, you're not getting the rock like how so how are you going to make an impact?
So it was defense. So I'm picking.
Guys up ninety four ninety four like pressure and everything, and I'm thinking I'm doing a pretty good job. And that's what like elevated me above, Like d right, that's my dog. But I think like my ability to play full court defense in that like versatile way of guarding multiple positions, like like help me kind of get that edge over him to like play a little bit more. But my welcome to the league moment, man Victor Ladipo cooked me. Gave me like top He gave me like thirty I want to say thirty two or thirty four when.
He was in Orlando.
It was at home in Toronto, and I remember it because as TV Ross, Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson made fun of me at the end of the game. He's like, oh man, wait to walk up tonight. That's that good, Depenson. He absolutely like like torched me like it didn't matter. Mid range pull ups and one layups, coming off pin downs for threes, like I could not, like I could not contain that dude. Like usually like I'm pretty good like being super physical, but like vic like people don't know, like pre injury, vict was I was a problem, like like his athletic ability, his versatility being able to get you off on your heels for for pull ups and getting down to the rim, like he had that back up, that quick drop cross and get your body. That was my welcome to the gave me. I want to say like thirty four. I could be wrong, but it was like thirty two thirty four and I just I couldn't. That was that was like my like damn, Like I gotta do something else. If this is what's gonna be everything the best players.
Now VIC is tough man. But look no we'll pulled you down, but we got to bring you back up.
Man.
You had you had enough moments, brother, we could we could talk about some of the you know, the early ones because you had several. Let's get into the NBA Rookie Life Film Room. You're welcome, My God, Julius Random Band, send it to the Holy Church of Power. Man. Hold on, brother, break down this clip to me? What was going on in the game. Norm I know you caught a few bodies, but this body was a little different. Man. I was getting sent this in the group text. This was this one. This one hit a little different, man. So walk me through this play and what's going on in this moment? Because I know you get hyped. You got a little wan to hype the normal, Leon felt, you got a little more hype the normal on this with.
Man Chris destroys run onside Man.
So previously to this play right here, I had drove the basket and I had gotten fouled. So I did like like like my normal like sweep through, get the contact with the arm and try to get the photo off, and it didn't call it. So I was and like the way the game was going, like it was an intense back and forth game with them, and we were just starting to make our little run for separation. So I was pissed the possession before, and so I was like, the next time I get this, the next time I get this, I'm going to the rim and I'm dunking this because I was so mad. That's that's where you see like the frustration come out. Like I didn't even like like I like usually like I yelled, but I was like I was this, So that's where the frustration came out. So I had a little more umphun on the finish. So it didn't matter if you jumped or not like that that dunk was what was happening. I didn't see him really, I was just going to finish that as hard as I could because I didn't get a foul call on the last possession, so he just got he was just in the way. Man honestly, he was just in the way for me in the rim.
Gorman Powell turns that corn goes all the way over to the other side.
Now he simply elevates up over the top a Rambo throws a him.
Do you feel like a little more disrespected, like when your teammates you see Kawhi get doubled in the corner kind of like, oh, like I have to make this play. I can't beat the weak dude they doubling off of Like do you feel like I would feel like if you the guy to catch the ball out, you gotta go get a bucket dog? Like what what do you feel a little more urgency? Like no, no, no, no, no, this is a noth game plan that's gonna work.
Yeah, for sure, you know because for me, I hold myself to that standard, you know, like I see myself as a Kawhi and PG that's all I step on the floor, Like like, I'm that guy that can come out and give you twenty five to thirty two. You know, if you give me the rocket and the opportunity, I can give you thirty two. So I like it, Like I like the fact that we have that dude on the floor and me on the other end when they want a double team and think that like they're getting let off the hook with me getting the ball, Like like, nah, you still got to worry about me as well, you know, because even though you're taking them out, like that third option on the other end, on the other side of the floor is still a problem. So that's my approach to it too, So like, yeah, go ahead and double team because you making it easier for me because like I'm not no just oh, we'll live with him shooting the ball. We'll live with him Like nah, I'm coming in there. I'm gonna cause you. I'm gonna cause a problem too. So that's how that's how I argue it.
I love that you say that too normal. I feel like that's the biggest development that came in your game. Is not just like trying to be the guy that deals with the right things and sell the right things. It's like, nah, belong like I'm here, and you know, for those who don't know, we being it's funny, you're a Clipper now, we be in the Clippers facility when I was on the Clippers. You're a young guy and you were there working all the time and just getting better, like it's crazy, Like literally since I've seen you, they talk about with greatness, like you just keep getting better and better and better and better and just developing sudden all the time. But like you're a guy like I think the biggest difference is not just knowing the game, but like you had that confidence that I'll be a guy that goes and scores. All right, let's let's check out another play here. Man, you had to play against PG this earlier in your career is a clutch one. And when I watched this clip back, like, the dunk is impressive. That's the highlight in it is the dunk. But defensively, you got to walk me through what you're doing here, because it's funny your high school coach. Shout out to your high school coach talking about you have elite potential. What you do on this play here is absolutely unbelievable. Let me know what you see.
Here working with this skill, what you do in this play, shout out to the dump.
But watch walk me through the time in this game, in this defensive possession, because you you you can do things defensively no one else. I don't want to say no one else, but it's a few people can do.
Oh man.
So for those that don't know this series, PG was cook game man, Like it was like like you know, I'm on a team with Damorrow, so like you've seen Tomar go crazy in some games.
You know, well we all from the city too, so we all hoopd together in the offseason, so it's always personal.
Yeah, So like you know, like like like I've seen it, but like the way PG was torturing us that series, like it was it was nuts.
Game five, like.
PG was was going crazy and they put me in the garden and it was strictly for defense, you know, like everything that I did offensively was a bonus. But I just I just told myself, I'm going to make it as hard as possible on them as I can. Like so throughout the whole whole series when I when I was in I was picking them up, like I said, ninety four feet, but like not only was I picking them up like trying to pressure them, I was bumping them like I was like he don't have the ball, like as us. You see him coming down for this the floppy action. You see me into his body, like I get tripped up, but like I'm on them I'm connected to him as much as I can, trying to make sure like I'm wedging them off his line, and so that that's what That's what I did defensively.
Like the whole the whole game.
Being in that clip, I knew that they were going to run the floppy Action forum because they were calling it out, so I was just ready for it.
Uh. And so when I came off of the.
Pin down, they were giving their you know you know you kind of like just like robotically passed to the go to guys because they're going to be opened. That's what they were doing, Like, Okay, this is gonna be able work on the swing of the PG and then like he's gonna work, And so I read it out of the shot the gap was like I'm gonna shoo shoot the gap and get it just the way I was able to body and fidal with that pin down screen. And once I shot the gap and I got a hand on it, I was like, it's over what I'm to the rim.
I'm to the rim. And almost is funny.
Because the play almost didn't happen because you can't see it in this clip, but the boss slips out my hand at the end, which caused me like like the cock the ball back a little bit more so I could readjust and grab it again in the air.
And so I was just hyped. I don't even know what. I was just like, like what they talking about? What they talking about?
Because they were.
Saying that they're going to beat us, and so like when we tied it back up, we went on a run.
We're actually down up until this point.
We went on like a sixteen to two or something like that run, and I capped it off with that by tying the game up. So it was just crazy, especially as a rookie. It was just crazy the energy in there.
It looked like you would have took off from free throw. It looked like you just were gonna take two dribbles and wherever you were from where you're at there like you were gonna dun't. But like you're leaping around here like a video game, like you're glitching and sliding like and that's I think just watching it is crazy. But it's like, yes, for those who don't know, when you're playing against a star player or a guy who can shoot it, you never shoot the gap. So it's funny. You almost shoot the gap on the first one, knowing you're coming back around just to you know, cover the cover the space there.
I didn't want to get behind.
So like when I shot the gap on the first one, like it was the because I know he was coming out and he could either go either way, so I wanted to shoot the gap. We got disconnected a little bit, so I wanted to get back back to him and not give him a direction just so I can chase him because we're getting calls to like those holding files, you know, when guys are twisting and turning around and floppy action, you know, you get to like the grabbing and stuff like that. So I just wanted to give him one direction. And so when he when he went off, I was at like, I think the big I don't know if it was not Mahimi in the game at that time, but uh I did. He didn't he didn't get my body, he didn't he didn't get to get the contact, and so I was still connected to him, and so I was able to play.
What makes PG so tough to guard, you know, you obviously play with him now you get to see how great he is. And he seemed like Pg's one of those guys like you bro, that's a little bro right there too. Just keeps getting better and better. What makes Paul so tough to guard when you're playing against him or just or just watching him now that you cook with him.
What makes PG so so great his elusiveness. Honestly, like he's so tough, you know, shifty with the ball, and you know, being a three level threat. I mean six nine, six, ten, h six, I'll give him six eight. I ain't gonna give him all.
That, but.
You know, but but his versatility, being able to shoot it off the dribble from three, in the pick and roll, being able to attack and shoot in the mid range area. He was torching us in the mid range area this series, and just being able to finish. You know, he's athletic, he's long, he's able to finish over around creativity around the rim is crazy.
But he's uh perfected scoring at all three levels. You know.
So you can't really take your foot off the gas with him because like if you back up, he's able to get you on your head.
A little bit more and create space for the three.
If you pressure him, you know, he's able to attack you downhill and shift to get to his main range pull up, you know, and then like if you keep that, you know, he's able to keep his dribble alive and then use his body to finish around you.
So he's just a very crafty, uh scorer with the ball.
You know. It's funny. I remember PG in the gym when he was when he was young, Bro, when he first got drafted in Indiana, he would just take the wildest shots. Bro. Like, he would take the wildest shots and in as crazy as like he literally just kind of perfected the same shot. He got way stronger. He was skinny, he got way stronger, but he, like PG literally just perfected all the stuff that he was already doing. Like, hey, Paul stopped taking these wild shots, but like now he's literally hitting them from everywhere. Like so like he's all.
Shots, normal shots, f room, because like he worked.
On it, they're normal shots.
And so being able to be.
On the same team with them, and I worked out with him last summer like going into like the four season, because I was traded last year to them, not this past season, but season prior going into that summer. For this past season, we're being able to work out with him and seeing a different footwork drill he does. And like the restrictions he puts on his shots and his workouts. You know, he can only work on this, you can only shoot it from here. You're only working on these type of shots. So them crazy shots. We think that, like, oh man, why is he taking that? Like he literally works on them every single day, like different style shots, different ways, different ways to get into him, different styles of defense. So like you can see like why he's taking those and because of the work that he puts in, so they're normal shots from facts.
Nah, man, that's huge, all right? Next slip here, Man, you went ahead and went off, had a career high and started cooking Dog. I want to know, did you have wheedies that morning with somebody talking crazy to you? You're normally a chill, calm cat. Were you just feeling it?
Man?
What led to this career high? Forty three point man dropped a forty burger? Man wrapped his record, talked me through this one man? And how did you just get cooking Dog? And was this one of those moments where you're like, hey, man, like I think I'm one of those guys, but I know one of those guys. Now, how did this game changes.
So it's funny. Prior to this, we got hit with COVID this year through the play. This was the COVID year when we got back to playing. But we're playing in Tampa, but our team got hit with COVID, so a lot of the guys are out. It was just me and and Kyle from like the court group of guys getting major minutes.
And I was cooking throughout. You know, I was the one two option.
I already get to the baseline, find Kyle for the corner gun.
It goes he is rolling open. That happen.
And this was the first game back where we had Freddie m Pascal And honestly, like I was like, I don't want to do too much because like I've been like the you know, the go to option between me and Kyle for like nine ten games right now, waiting for the guys to come back.
And now that's backwards.
How you gonna have a career? How would they get back back?
Like you know, you know, you know, I said, I'm about the team, so you know, I didn't want to come and like do too much and like act like they you know, they weren't there, you know, because that's how it was before. But like I think I was just still in like such a good rhythm. Uh, And the game had slowed down for me so much because like I was getting the I was playing high minutes, high usage, and I was so efficient. I think I was adding like twenty five twenty six through that like ten game span, shooting like forty two percent from three and like fifty from the field. Like I was just in a crazy groove. And I think the fact that I didn't want to do too much just led to me being like so easy and letting the game come to me and flow that like no matter what I was doing.
That it was just good because I wasn't forcing it.
Yeah, it's much time now. Powell buyers filled it in another foul call.
So this was the worst case scenario. They burned time, but guess what they got it the Powell He gets fouled on a three pointer. That's forty points for.
Him and a free throw coming and possibly a two point game here.
You know, it was just everything was in rhythm.
Everything was in flow, Like I saw the reads and everything like before it was happening and how they regarded me, and I.
Was just just making them.
I was just coninue attack like I knew that I get the ball, I'm just getting downhill finishing. If they're backing up, I'm shooting the three like I knew what I was gonna do, like like instincts rights guns.
For three and Adamson, Wow, did you get any crazy text messages after this game? Any anything changed? Was the phone? Was the phone buzzing once you got back? I know it was during COVID Obviously we see there's no no fans there. Man, Did anything change for you where you're like, oh, you know, it's just part of the part of the routine.
Yeah.
For me, Like like my mentality doesn't like really change, like even like going through like my early years, I just felt like I always feel like if I get the opportunity to be a thirty minute a night player, like I can do this on a regular basis, you know, it's just getting the opportunity, you know, And that's how I always viewed myself, like like I'm one of those guys. Like my quick story, like in high school, my best friend I was telling about that played the song on draft day, Like we're sitting in the gym and we're talking about like making it to the league and stuff like that, and he literally told me like, oh yeah, man, like I think you can make it to the league, like you can be you know, a guy in somebody's bench making like a ton of money, this, that and the other. And I looked at him like I was crazy, like be on somebody, Finch man, like I'm gonna be like I'm gonna be Kobe, I'm gonna be covid It. I'm gonna That's what I told him. He looked at me like I was crazy, like bro what like. But that's been my mentality, like like I'm gonna be one of those guys and I'm gonna put the work in to achieve that.
To me, it's like it's funny watching you know we started off earlier. You're saying like, hey, I didn't shoot the ball well. But I feel like even from day one when I seen like, oh no, he's going to figure it out. And like you're shooting catch and shoot threes. Three is off the bounds, off the move, and I think one thing like for athletic guys like you, the biggest kids, you can get your shot off. So like once you fine tuned it, you're right there. Man, how much work had you put in on your shot or do you feel like the hard work was already there it just started paying off.
Yeah.
No, I changed my shot honestly, coming from college to the NBA, I changed my shot. If you look at clips from when I was shooting the ball in college, I used to shoot the ball way behind, and I used to jump super high because I saw athletics. So like my off the dribble, mid range pull ups were the same as my threes. Like I was jump just like I was shooting to pull up jumper. And so through the pre draft workout, we didn't change it too much because, like, you don't want to change your shot and you're trying to go out there and perform for these teams, you know, that's like a bigger adjustment. So we just tried to get it as consistent as possible through the pre draft workout process. But then when I got drafted and going in the summer league, coach Casey and coach Jemma, they told me the one thing they're going to change in my shot first is how high I jumped. So in summer League it was a little joke, but they said they were going to find me if I jumped on my on my three point shots. So I'm literally like like in mid games. We worked on it through practice and everything, but in the games, like you know how hard it is to like control yourself with the usage the balls, and so like literally I'm jumping like maybe like half inch off the ground when I'm shooting my threes in game, and it actually like paid off. I think I shot almost like forty percent in Summer League from just making that small adjustment and then it was like the form, but it was like that small adjustment that I made that like helped change my shot tremendously. And then just like the off season work with my U with my trainer AJ Diggs, like we worked every form, shooting form, shooting form, shooting, stepping out form, shooting one hand form, shooting two hand form, shoulding off the dribble form with one hand form, shooting like just building the consistency out and locking that in. And that's where the change came from just hours and repping it out.
Shot AJ Diggs. By the way, man Kyle Legend right there that do was Aj was a problem, But it's that they said don't jump because you used to over jump and then looks like you're literally right at that sweet swap right in the middle, shooting at the peak of your jump and letting the shot go. I had the same problem. I definitely didn't turn into anywhere near the shooter you were, But I used to hold that thing because when you're a bouncy you could just hang up there and then and then let it go. You almost aim it, all right. Let's get to this next clip, man, probably one of the most clutch plays you had. You guys are down three two to the Celtics, and you make an unbelievable play. Dog walk me through this a moment because this is this is crazy, right, Here's what's going on here, Norman, take them off the mount stripped like pod pound with one man to beat, drives in the smart don't pound it out of the found.
Yeah, full scramble the second overtime we down, we up won, And it's just a full scramble because, like you know, Boston, they have so many weapons. And I actually get lost on the play because Kimbug comes in. He comes into the block and so when Jellen round goals, he goes and swings it and I'm thinking that somebody's in the corner. You see me jump back and I see it, and we're just in a full scramble mode now. So now I'm trying to put out the next fire and I see the swing to Jason and he so he attacks and since I'm running across the paint, he crossed over. So I'm like, oh, let me try to let me just try to pick this real quick. So, oh, let me get that because I was doing I was running. I was actually running to the corner to the next guy, because if he would have swung it, I think it would have been tight to somebody in the corner. So I'm actually running across the lane to go there. And as soon as he attacks and crosses over, he put the ball right in front of me. So I'm like, oh, I'm gonna try to I'm gonna try to make a play. And I thought, my whole thing, I'm trying to make a play right here. So he attacks cross and I remember to get it and pick it up and take it down in the court and get to finish.
No normal. I wants you to know that is very abnormal what you did. There's there's a small percentage of people to do it. So when you're watching this clip, you're running full speed, you're figuring things out, and right at that moment where you stop and reach back, somebody's tearing in Achilles bro somebody up. So you're running full speed and as you stop and reach back, calculated and get the little poke. That's why you got to steal because he's like anybody else running full speed isn't even a factor and you actually get on balance, been down and make this play. That's that's the freakish ability that we were talking about, Like do you do you catch people off guard with that? Just the fact that you can go full speed, stop on a dime and get a calculated reach or like you know, you're kno going to ball out of bounds maybe at best, but you actually hit it to yourself.
Yeah, no, it's funny. Like I never really thought about it that way. But when I got to Portland actually and like talking to dam and SEEJ, like we talk about like just a game, like oh man, I gotta get this, like I gotta take this from your game. I gotta take that from your game. And the one thing that he said was like, man, I don't understand how you can go full speed and just like like stop on it. You know what I'm saying, Like like being able to control yourself to running like full speed. He's like that right there, is like like what I'm trying to get because like I can't go full full out and then like control my body the way I do so like I think it's just like like a natural ability and like instinctual, Like I don't think about it.
I just like do it and it happens.
Man, speaking of Dame, you got a story for me or anything? Man, Obviously, shout out to Portland for the bag. Okay, we'll say that first and foremost, shout out to Portland for the bag. But you have a story about Dame, like the first time. I know, obviously we already know what it's like playing against him, but as a teammate where you got to see like, yo, like this dude is like that, Like he's different. Like was there a moment where you kind of just were like looking around like WHOA Like I seen tomorrow, I seen you know a couple of different guys, but this guy is a different breed here.
Yeah. No, I mean like when when I first got there, you know, like he was doing his normal like Dame Dame time stuff, you know.
But I think when we made it to the when we got in the playoffs and we uh we played in Denver and he went off for like fifty five or something like that, and oh my, like sitting there watching like the shots he was hitting, the threes he was hitting like he came down Ben pick and roll and came off, went off and did like spun back to the three, like spun back to the three, shot that nothing but net like and then come back down hit you with the pat past sidestep nothing but net. You know what I mean. Like it was just like a game where I was just like, y'all, like this is insane. I've never I've never seen anything like this, and he hit like like stuff like that he was doing. But like in the playoffs, like it was just like like crazy, like effortless, like effortless and you get caught sometimes just like watching.
Like, bro, did you just make that?
Like what's going on here? But that game where he went off for like we ended up losing, but like just like the shots he was hitting to keep us in the game, Like it was like maybe like eight or nine possessions in a row where like he just was not missing. And it's funny now because like I see on like Instagram, like the clips from that performance he had and like you see like when he finally missed, like you see Austin Rivers, like, oh thank god. It was like it was like that type of thing like yo, what is it? Like out of body experience type stuff. That was like one of my games where I've watched like and like been in and a part of like, Yo, this is like crazy like that. And then like watching him like against like Russ and the playoff series where they were going at it like its insane, Like some of the stuff he does, it's insane.
At some point, you know, you're running the wing are You're like, man, I'm over here channeling like I ain't really gotta gotta do much, you know, or just like hey, if they double, I'm ready.
I'm running to the corner, like let me get you some space. But like I mean, I'm spotted up. I'm spotted up. But he hit them, like, oh okay, let me get back on defense real quick.
I think that's that's the best thing. You know, when you're playing with great players, you can lock it on defense. You know, you can focus on those other things, And I think like one of your gifts, Norm, you know, where does this come from? Because I feel like your immense value comes You're a guy who can say, all right, Norm, go create a shot. Okay, Norm, go stand in the corner. All right, Norm, go play defense, you know, and not like complain. A lot of guys are you know, have a single facet to their game, but you have versatility in that regard. Where did that come from? Was that just playing alongside Damar and sometimes not with Damar or was this something you had to pick up or was that a coaching thing or how do you come in with kind of that mindset because you're you're one of the better guys in the entire league that can create those shots for yourself.
Yeah, I think honestly, like a lot of people don't know like the mentality piece of like the defensive end, you know, it was that like I said, like I used to not like playing defense, you know, then like coach coach talent, you know, but instill that passion and fire and playing defense you know, and for me, like that's how I got to get on the floor.
So I picked up on the defensive stuff.
So like coach talent is tea the ins and outs and how to be a good off ball defender, how to be a good on ball defender. So picking that up and learning it and actually like taking pride in defense going into college.
I think I said, like it, like it all helped me.
But then I think, like the mentality piece, like I like I always like had that like competitive drive and fire to want to compete, you know, and defense is about competing. It's about sitting down and saying, like you're not going to score on me, and even if you do, like I'm gonna make it as hard as possible every single time, like like that you're in front of me. And I think that's where it comes from. And that mentality, like like we talked about, like came from like Kobe, Like I used to sit down and like watch like hours interviews, videos, highlights and just like pick up on like his his approach, you know, and his his mental focus and fortitude and work ethic and drive and wanting to be the best, and like him wanting to be the best, like yeah, people look at the championships and the stats and things like that, but him wanting to be the best means you got to win, and so like for me, for for a guy that wants to reach that level, it was about winning, right, Like like the winners of the one that gets talked about like yeah, you can go have forty fifties, sixties, but yeah, it's cool to talk about, but like did you win?
Like what did you did? You help your team win?
And I think that that's my biggest thing, Like yeah, I can be a guy that can go get twenty five a night, you know, but is that what the team needs from me? And is that is that what's going to help us win? So like for me, I want to be as good as I can and maximize my abilities, which is why it works so hard. And like throughout my career, I just want to maximize what basketball has to give me. But at the same time, I want to win. So whatever it takes to win, that's what I'm going to do. Whatever the team asking of me, Like, that's what I'm going to do, whether it's being the number one guy on a given night or being the third, four, fifth guy, you know, Like I'm helping the team win, and I'm gonna go out there and try to make winning players.
All right, everybody hold up for one second, you gonna find out something about Lebron what he did against Norman's Toronto Raptors, the shot that he hit something you did not know. Stay tuned. Cool stuff coming up next from Norman Powell. All right, let's have some fun here, Norm Man. I know you know this clip was circulating you and Kawhi Man, obviously that's your guy. People don't know NBA players, we do. This is the silly stuff that happens in the locker room all the time, but this one just happened to get caught. Man, what was going on here? Was Kawhi really that locked in? Was this just an inside joke y'all had?
Was this?
What was going on here? Man?
So I'm glad it is this clip because the other clip just cuts off after. He doesn't give me that, but so I think he was. He was locked in cliffs like if you see like he's looking forward. But like my routine when I come out after getting ready is I go around before we go into the huddle to run out. I give everybody that you know what I'm saying, I say it's up to everybody, And so like I'm saying with up to everybody, and I have my fist out, but he's not looking at me. And so when I actually talked to him because I didn't even know, this was like even made so you see me like myself like I'm messing with him.
Cool. Thanks.
After we were talking about it, he's like, bro, honestly, I thought you were trying to bring the huddle in because you see him like pointing.
He's like pointing.
I was trying to bring the huddle in to bring everybody in, you know, the sale piece before we run out. But I was just trying to give him that. But that's why that's why he pointed over there. Like I didn't know, but like I started joking with him right there, like yeah, okay, cool, don't leave me hanging like straight.
But it was just.
Funny that they caught this moment and it like went viral, like like when I got back to my phone after the game, like even I think Snoop Dogg posted it. I think the game posted it, like everybody was posting it and it was pretty funny.
I think it was more so like Kauhi is just a terminator, like no, nothing funny, like you know, let's go no handshake, no.
No, no, don't even touch me like, I'm locked in, But he didn't. He didn't know that.
I was like when I talked to you about it, like he didn't know that I was like just giving everybody a normal adapt before we ran out. He thought I was trying to bring everybody into the huddle, all right?
Walking me through this play here from Kawhi Man, I got to see this. This is one of the greatest shots in Toronto history. What was the play that got called? Here gets off?
The letter defended by Simmons? Is this the ties?
If I'm not mistaken, I think you're hurt this series. I don't know if you're you're you're here? But what was going on here? Man? What was the call? Did you see this coming? This is? This is like unbelievable. Man, what what don't I know or what don't we know about what happens here?
Norman?
I I'm here, I'm on I'm on the bench though I'm on the bench this this one. But now, so it was it was supposed to be like a misdirection for Kawhia come off and get the ball going to his left. But I think the way they guarded it he had to pop out because he would have wear right into Tobias and so he caught it and just like pivoted out and had to create at that point in time, like he created that himself. That was not the draw up play for sure, but he just created it off the way they guarded him, and it was just like a wait and see moment. You know, you know that ball could have went any way, but like just it is an unbelievable shot, you know, point two seconds front rim bounce, Like how does it? You know what I'm saying, Like it's just like it's a front rim like any other shot you shoot short front that's coming right back at you.
But the fact that it.
Like bounced short and went straight in the air as soft as it did, you know, it's like kind of like that sixth Man had somebody like put a little touch on it, yea, like sopping it up. Like that's what it That's what it looked like, and like everybody was just waiting, like it felt like it was forever when it was like hanging on the rim, but like it was crazy, it was nuts and it was going crazy.
Kawhi's numbers here and during this run compared with Michael Jordans, Keem Elijahron, Kobe Bryant, what do you remember about this? Like and just kind of watching it happen. Obviously you're locked in as a teammate, But what do you remember about this Kawhi Leonard right here? I mean, this is you're literally a part of history with what Kawhi did. What do you remember about him? What don't we know?
I just remember sitting there with Fred we played we played Orlando in the first series, and like the first six possessions of the game, I think he was like five for six, like crazy, and so like I just remember like like like I think after his third mayk here and may rings pull up and me and Fred just like looked at each other like yo, like this okay, like the lights on now, like like like this is him, like like this is his time, and so like like you just saw, like I got told the people like even this this past like postseason, even.
Though he got hurt.
Unfortunately, like his mentality and like demeanor doesn't change. But there's just like a certain like level of like focus. I feel like it's like there, you know what I'm saying, where it's like you're able just to get automatically like into a zone. I'm not saying that that's what he does, but just it's just that's what it looks like from the outside when you're watching him, like when he's playing, like when he's going through when there's a runs or anything like that, Like he's always has this like calm like demeanor where it's like I really don't give up, like what's going on?
You know what I mean?
Like like are we winning? Are we making the plays to win? Are we competing?
You know?
And that's how he goes out and plays, and it's just contagious.
What do you remember about that first championship in Toronto history?
Man?
What does that mean? Not just for the city, for yourself, all the above, Like what what? What? What was that? Dog? You put in a lot of work, dog for the kid who maybe was was very overlooked, had to work for a spot, you know, and and everything comes together. It seems like Toronto was getting there and then coming up short. What do you remember about that that championship? Man? When when it finally like kind of kind of ended.
It was amazing. It was like, honestly a dream come true.
And for me, like like I have my own little like personal things like we won to go to the finals on my birthday, so May twenty fifth, and like if you rewind my rook and my rookie year, we got blown out by Cleveland and Cleveland on my birthday, so like it had four four years to.
Win on my birthday.
It was like a nice little little present for me, you know, like like like self present, like, oh, we won the finals on my like going to the finals on my birthday. So it was was it was amazing just for the run and then just to see like the city like you see you see the crowd now in the background of the video, but like to have that every single game, and then to see the response. I'm still kind of bummed that we couldn't couldn't close out in Toronto because I knew that would have been crazy, but just to see like the response like we're getting like we're celebrating things like that, and then like people are like showing us videos while we're celebrating in the locker room of like what was going on back home in Toronto, Like like people climbing trees, running the streets like it was crazy. It looked like a mob out there. But it was just an amazing moment. And time for for not only in Toronto, but like just to like the country, you know, to bring a like when people understand, like when you're playing for Toronto, like you're not just playing for that city. You know, You're you're playing for Canada, Like you have support up and down Canada. So like that be a part of that moment in history, you know, like they talk about until today and it's gonna be something that's talked about forever.
You know.
To be a part of that was amazing.
It was a dream come true.
It still feels weird to be called like.
An NBA champion, but it was definitely a special time and I think everything just came together like perfectly. Just the story like how developed acquiring Kawhi, you know, the trade with Damarrow, you know, it was just like the build up to it. And finally reaching that mountain top was amazing, all.
Right, knowing for get you out of here, I get I. Unfortunately I did it backwards. I gave you the sweet. Now I got to talk about the bitter Lebron hit one in one of his iconic shots against Toronto. You talked about maybe this was the bitter part. You just you just spoke about what was going on, what was the play on this, and like kind of like what mates Lebron so tough? We talked about peak Kawhi, talk about peak Lebron, And I know you had a chance to kind of guard him with like just what was happening on this play? Why wasn't he doubled? Was it like keep him on the sideline, just just walk me through this because this was crazy. I remember, I remember watching it. He dropped a thirty eight piece.
Here, three second, throw us up the flutter go good nights.
That is for you, Like if you if you were winded to where he releases the ball makes the shot. You can see me on I'm sitting on the bench right here and I'm standing up. I'm the one with I'm like right like you see me right next to Valentunez. I'm like I'm about to put my hands up. I'm right by the coach. I'm about to put my hands in the air, like yo, he just shot that. It made it.
It was nuts.
You know, we were supposed to be denying him and making somebody else beat him. But I remember talking to Pascal and he didn't want to leave Kevin love so I think that that was the whole point in having Kevin Love inbound and be the one to set that that backscreen for him, because then if we came off, k Love got a wide up in the street, you know, and he was he was cooking, he was he was he was knocking him down this this series against us. So it was it was a one on one. I mean, it's a I mean, who's who else is taking that shot like that? Eighty four people him, Kobe d Wade Jordan, like, like who else is taking a shot like that?
Like?
And I couldn't believe that one, Like I was like, yo.
What what is this? Like why why would you shoot that for game? And like just the way That's what I was like, like, bro, what how did you shoot that for game? It was insane? But then it's funny. When we got Phil Handy, he had me working on this damn shot.
And so when he took me to the.
Drill, I'm like, man, hold on, this is the drill that that this is when Brian hit the damn shot on this in Cleveland, And he was like, yeah, why do you think he took it?
Man?
We worked on this every day. Makes sense, like you work on it.
So now like this shot looks crazy that everybody else watching, but for guys who work on it every day, it's a normal shot.
Like he if you working on it, he perfected.
You just got to bring it out when you need it, and he brought it out and it was just crazy.
Now once so Bron comes up on that left side.
Watch how he changes in the air and gets it off the glass in plenty of time.
Now that was some play.
That was nail in the confin right there, I was nailing the coffin.
I think just what was tough about Bron? And I think this was his greatest run as a proer right up there, like second greatest whatever, like kind of like it's like kind of old this this sparked off the O G Tour for Lebron, but like I just he was just in the zone. Like you guys were younger, more athletic, but I felt like he just mentally was just eating coverages. Apart this series, what did you see or what were you guys trying to do, like just just mix up the looks or just hey make him beat us, see if we tire him out?
What was the mindset this series one was when was to try to tire him out, which is why we had O g on him a bigger physical defender, being able to pick him up and try to get the ball his hands. But I mean, like you know, like the story of Lebron's film study knowing the game great IQ, we want we wanted other guys to beat us, but.
Like he was huge.
They had they had him at the elbow and they would run this like pin down curl action with Kevin.
Love Yes and j R.
Smith and Kob like they like that little action with Lebron facilitating at the elbow is like unguardable because you got knockdown three point shooters. You can't send a double team to him at the elbow, you know, because you're giving up other looks on the other side and he can take you one on one. So like the whole thing we were trying to do is one be super physical with him and have others beat him. But like Lebron tore all that up, and I think with what kind of changed everything was when he started hitting those damn Kobe turn around fadeaways that were nothing but net like it was just like, like like.
I said, I always feel like like in the League.
There's like times where you know that like teams like is this is their moment, you know, and they like they rise to the dication and they play like that. And bron Le Bron was playing like that all series and like even even the guys around him, like was playing like that all series of shots they were making like serge block the shot, it bounced to cover in the corner, knock down three. It's like we making the right place. But you know they're they're coming up with the ball and hitting it off after our multiple third, four, fifth, six efforts on defense and they're still making shots. You know, Like like to me, when I look back at it now, it's like, oh, this is this was her time, this was her moment. There's nothing you can do. Yeah, man, We'll shooting all fun stuff.
Brother. I appreciate you coming out door. We're gonna have to do this again. You know we could look we a hoop head man. We can sit and talk, uh talk hoop all day. We can talk hoop, yeah man, but shoot man, Like I said, you you come out and you blessed us. Here on the pod NBA Rookie Lighte Prible with Ryan Hollands. Where can we support you. Where can we help any foundations? I g Twitter all that shout out to stuff that people want to come in and lock in with you. Man, But thank thanks for your time, brother man, big time stuff.
I appreciate it.
Man.
Yeah.
Anyway, you know, I have my my brand, Understand the Grind. It's my It's my lifestyle model and how I approach.
Not only by so we of it on shirts.
Yeah, we can buy these shirts normal power dot com.
I have more.
This is the basic team that we have, but I have a.
Bunch of athle leisure where men's and women's and it's it doesn't go to me, it goes to my foundation. I don't take no profits from it. It goes straight to my foundation. Understand the Grind Foundation. It's all about hard work, dedication, commitment. For me, it's giving back to the next generation. I want to be that positive role model, an influencer to show the kids from Southeast San Diego where I grew up, that things are possible, you can make it with the right mentality and the right work ethic and showing them that there's more than just the inner city, you know. And that's what my foundation is about. Giving back to them, giving them more opportunity not only on the court or on the field, but in the classrooms as well, opening up reading trying to open up reading rooms.
In San Diego.
We have a strong women's support group for the amazing women that are doing a lot of great things in the community and in the world, providing support for them, being a place where they can come share their thoughts and grow network and just promote, you know, all the things that they're they're doing in this world. Because we wouldn't be out here, be where we're at without the women in our lives and our mothers, our sisters. Yeah, so I got aau programs. Everything is built and based around this understanding grind, this saying this model that I live by, kind of like the mama mentality. Me and my boys kind of took that and created our own thing because we always try to figure out, like why so many people aren't successful, you know, how come the guys that were supposed to be good.
And make it when we were growing up didn't make it.
And one of my boyses and like they really don't understand the grind, Like they don't understand what it takes get there, you know, and the commitment and the sacrifice and we use that every single day as a mental and an approach to life. Whenever we got hit with obstacles, you know, just all part of the grind, and we use that to keep going and to keep pushing. And that's why I try to instill it not only to my friends, but into the community and the next kids coming up.
Absolutely, Man, appreciate it about them. I G tach just Norman Power right.
Norman Power for for the IG Understand the Grind Foundation for my foundation and then shop underscore UTG for the brands page on Instagram.
Well, brother, you know how excited I am watching you grow and who and I'm ecstatic my little browin brother, you know it. Just phone watch you man, keep it the good work. You know you be hearing from me, man, and whatever you need, you know, a phone call away.
Appreciate you, big guy always man, love to support Since day one. You've always been, like I said, a positive role model, mentor big brother to me till this day. So I appreciate you always supporting me and keeping me up, you know. And that's the positive energy that you always give me. Man.
It's been amazing any time.
Wow, Man, amazing stuff. They're from normal power. Shout out to Norman, but even bigger shout out to you guys for coming through. Make sure you like, follow, subscribe, spread the word, Let us know what we did well. Let us know the things that we can work on. Appreciate you guys. Love you, you know that, and I will be seeing you Guess what next week
