Norman Powell Returns to L.A. as an All-Star - and Gets the Love He Deserves
Norman Powell didn’t walk into the Intuit Dome this weekend as a Clipper, but you wouldn’t have known it by the reception. The Miami Heat guard, now a first-time NBA All-Star at age 32, got the loudest ovation of the night - and it came right in front of the fanbase that once cheered him on for four straight seasons.
“Norman Powell, Norman Powell.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 14, 2026
The Wall was showing lots of love to former Clipper Norman Powell before his opening round 🙏
(via @NBAAllStar)
pic.twitter.com/EWcV3btEp4
Before Powell even let a three fly in the All-Star Weekend’s three-point contest, the Clippers faithful made their feelings known. A tribute flashed across the arena’s scoreboard wall, and the crowd responded with a roar that felt more like a homecoming than a neutral-site event.
Powell didn’t make it to the final round of the contest - that honor went to Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, and Damian Lillard - but in many ways, he was already a winner. He was the closest thing to a Clippers representative in the event, and fans made sure he felt that.
And really, how could they not?
From 2021 to 2025, Powell carved out a reputation in L.A. as one of the Clippers’ most reliable scorers. He posted back-to-back 20-point-per-game seasons and consistently brought energy and toughness on both ends of the floor. But despite those numbers, he was passed over in All-Star voting more than once - notably in the 2021-22 and 2024-25 seasons.
Now, finally, he’s getting his flowers. And fittingly, it’s happening in the same city where he once made his mark.
“I think this completes the story,” Powell told reporters. “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.”
It’s a moment that resonates beyond the stat sheet. Powell’s path to this All-Star nod is a testament to perseverance and consistent production. He’s not the flashiest name in the league, but he’s earned this spotlight - and the respect that comes with it.
For Clippers fans, Saturday night was a reminder of what Powell brought to the franchise. For Heat fans, it was a celebration of what he’s become. And for Powell himself, it was a full-circle moment - one that didn’t need a trophy to feel like a win.