MIAMI (United States) – Norman Powell is in Florida, and not just because of his recent trade to the Miami Heat. The shooting guard/small forward is currently training with the Jamaican national team, which is holding its training camp in Boca Raton ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers. The event is set to take place in Mexico and Chile from August 8 to 10. Back in April, Powell announced his commitment to represent the Caribbean nation, and he is now ready to do so in the tournament that will award four spots to the Americas Qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup, which begins this November.
The player, who averaged a career-high 21.9 points and shot 42 percent from three-point range last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, spoke with FIBA Americas about this new experience in international basketball. “Honestly, this experience has been unreal. I’ve felt really welcomed by my teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone else involved in making this a reality,” Powell said. “It’s been amazing, even the support from the country, Jamaica, and the other places I’ve been like Toronto… It’s been a great time here preparing with the team, and I’m just looking forward to getting on the floor and competing!” In the Pre-Qualifiers, Jamaica will compete in Group A, located at ITSON Arena in Ciudad Obregón, Mexico. They’ll face Barbados, Costa Rica, and then wrap up the group stage against the host nation. “We’ve got a good chance. We have a team that’s going to work hard and battle,” said the veteran, who is heading into his 11th NBA season and first with the Heat. “This is the first time for a lot of us coming together to make this thing possible. So it might not look amazing or polished right away, but as long as we have the right approach, the right attitude, and unselfishness, we’re going to put ourselves in a great position to make it out of these qualifiers and keep moving on,” he added.
Powell has won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in the 2018–19 season. However, now he will need to adjust to the international game, which is known for its physicality and some rule differences compared to the NBA. But he doesn’t expect that to be an issue. “I think my style of play fits international basketball well. I love the physicality. I think it's just definitely gonna help me shift gears in a focus and come out being an aggressor as well,” said the 32-year-old sharpshooter. “They like to play physical on defense, and that allows you to be able to play physical on offense too. So I’m looking forward to it, to seeing how the game is played, learning the rules and different calls, violations, travels, and things like that. I’m excited about it.” Jamaica hopes Powell will be the first of several NBA players to join their national team project. The country is aiming to bring in names like Nick Richards (Phoenix), twin brothers Amen (Houston) and Ausar Thompson (Detroit), Josh Minott (Boston), and brothers Justin (Washington) and Julian Champagnie (San Antonio) in the future. If they’re able to bring these pieces together, Jamaica could field a team capable of competing at the highest levels. Powell has already thought about what it would mean to play in tournaments like the World Cup or the Olympics. “It would mean everything. That’s another childhood dream fulfilled. This is the start of it, and I’m really excited about this group. I know we have more talented players who want to be part of this, and I think this is the start of building something really special. For Jamaica, I think it would be extremely huge, not just now, but for the continuation for generations to come, and that it continues to grow and the funding comes,” he said passionately.
The Heat: Another challenge
After the Americas Pre-Qualifiers, Powell will shift his focus to preparing for the 2025–26 NBA season with his new team, the Miami Heat. He was traded on July 7 from the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a three-team deal that sent Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, and a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz and John Collins to the Clippers. About the trade, Powell commented: “This is a new challenge, a new opportunity to go and showcase my skills in another location. The organization and my teammates have been really welcoming. I’ve seen what some of them have said about me in interviews, and it’s been supportive. I’m excited to join this group and continue building.”
The Heat finished last season with a 37–45 record and were swept in the first round of the Playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Powell now in the mix, they hope to return to contention in the Eastern Conference. He will strengthen the offense and bring veteran leadership to a roster that includes Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Nikola Jovic, and Simone Fontecchio. “I think my game, my mentality, my approach, and my love for basketball all fit perfectly with the Heat culture. I’m excited to put that jersey on as well,” he concluded.
FIBA