Los Angeles Clippers wing Norman Powell won’t be able to qualify for the 2025 Most Improved Player award, as he’ll fall just short of the 65-game minimum. With the Clippers set for a postseason berth, he could put a different bow on his season, this one in the form a championship. Nevertheless, having already won a championship with the Toronto Raptors, there would’ve been more novelty to him winning the MIP award.
The NBA award route is now closed off to Powell, at least this season. However, his blessings are still rolling in. This week, the Clippers sniper announced on social media that he’ll be joining Jamaica’s men’s national basketball team for the FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers, which will take place this summer, from August 8–10 (h/t Jamaica Basketball Association).
“I’m super excited to join Team Jamaica,” Powell says during his announcement. “Coach (Nick) Turner and I have worked on this for a while, and now it’s a reality. I’m ready to grind and need everyone’s support to make it happen.”
Clippers’ Norman Powell Joins Jamaican National Team, Thompson Twins
According to the Jamaica Basketball Association, they’ve also targeted Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards, Minnesota Timberwolves wing Josh Minott, and the NBA’s only sets of twins. San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie and Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie may not be household names yet. However, Houston Rockets point-forward Amen Thompson and Detroit Pistons point-forward Ausar Thompson are two of the most popular young players in the league.
The Jamaica Basketball Association notes that “some (of these) players are finalizing FIBA eligibility.” That being said, if Powell is joined by those seven players, Team Jamaica will likely be quite competitive.
Powell, the most successful of the group, is currently having a career season. In 2024-25, he’s averaging 22.1 points per game and shooting 42.0 percent from 3.
Drafted in 2020, Richards is a traditional center that can get a double-double any night. The Champagnie Twins, floor spacers, are both shooting over 36 percent from 3 in 2024-25. Drafted in 2023, Thompson Twins are defensive menaces that can be used in any number of ways. Unlike the aforementioned players, Minott doesn’t play regularly, but has stuck out with his defense.
Heritage (Not A) Question
In terms of Powell’s heritage, the 30-year-old hasn’t necessarily been open about his Jamaican roots. In this way, he differs from Richards, Minott, and The Thompson Twins. The Champagnie Twins aren’t usually thought of as being of Jamaican descent but in 2021, The Athletic’s Brian Bennett published an article that highlighted the Jamaican origin of their last name.
With that in mind, FIBA’s governing body only allows players to compete for countries in which they’ve attained citizenship. In Jamaica, there are five ways to do so.
1. Birth
2. Residency (five-year minimum)
3. Descent
4. Adoption
5. Marriage
Powell was born in San Diego, didn’t spend five years living in Jamaica, was raised by his biological parents and is unmarried. Thus, it stands to reason that Powell is indeed of Jamaican descent.
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