Norman Powell Soaks in First All-Star Moment, Reflects on Journey from Raptors Rookie to Heat Standout
It’s been a long road for Norman Powell - and on All-Star Sunday, the Miami Heat guard finally got his flowers.
Powell suited up for Team World in the All-Star mini-tournament, marking the first All-Star appearance of his career. The results on the court didn’t go Team World’s way - they dropped both of their round-robin matchups and didn’t make it to the final - but for Powell, the night was about more than the scoreboard. It was a personal milestone nearly a decade in the making.
In two games, Powell went scoreless against Team Stars before putting up five points, two rebounds, and an assist against Team Stripes. Modest numbers, sure.
Norman Powell couldn't believe he got to work out with DeMar DeRozan before he was drafted: "I called my boys after like 'I just got a work out in with DeMar and I scored on him." ❤️
— theScore (@theScore) February 15, 2026
Presented by @TangerineBank pic.twitter.com/mR2sN5RkSF
But the stat sheet doesn’t tell the full story here. This was a moment of recognition for a player who’s quietly carved out a strong NBA career - and who’s in the midst of a breakout season with the Heat.
At 32, Powell’s journey has been anything but linear. Drafted in 2015 by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors, he entered the league as a second-round pick with a lot to prove.
He started on the bench, fighting for minutes, learning the ropes. And now, more than ten years later, he’s an All-Star.
For Powell, the weekend was a chance to reflect - not just on his rise, but on the early moments that made him believe he belonged. One of those came before he’d even played a regular season game, when he found himself working out at UCLA with then-Raptors star DeMar DeRozan.
“Just because being a SoCal kid, knowing everything DeMar did at Compton, watching his highlight videos when I was in high school - so sharing a court with him, working out with him, playing one-on-one, it was one of those moments,” Powell recalled in a video clip posted by The Score.
“After we were done, I called my boys, like, ‘Yeah, I just got a workout with DeMar, I just scored on him.’ So that’s probably my first moment of, ‘Man, I can’t believe it.’”
That moment of awe eventually gave way to a four-year run as teammates in Toronto, where Powell and DeRozan built a bond. Powell lived the dream of many young Southern California hoopers - not just meeting his idol, but sharing the floor with him night in and night out.
Of course, the Raptors’ story took a dramatic turn in 2018, when DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a blockbuster deal that brought Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to Toronto. It was a tough goodbye for Powell - but it also paved the way for the Raptors’ historic 2019 championship run, with Leonard leading the charge.
Fast forward to today, and Powell is writing a new chapter in Miami. He’s become a key contributor for the Heat, bringing veteran savvy, scoring punch, and leadership to a team with playoff aspirations. Meanwhile, DeRozan is now suiting up for the Sacramento Kings, and both players are at different stages of their careers.
Still, Powell hasn’t forgotten where he came from - or the people who helped him get here. His All-Star debut wasn’t just a celebration of his current form; it was a tribute to the grind, the growth, and the moments that shaped him.
From wide-eyed rookie sharing a workout with his childhood hero, to All-Star guard in South Beach - Norman Powell’s journey is a reminder that the long road can still lead to the big stage.