Norman Powell: 'I thought about quitting basketball a few times'

Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell has become a Most Improved Player of the Year and All-Star candidate in his 10th season. Yet, the California native nearly walked away from basketball before his career began.

After overcoming depression and doubts to make his dream a reality, Powell hopes to influence the next generation to chase their dreams and be an inspiration.

Powell discussed the goals behind his Understand The Grind foundation and clothing brand, his NBA journey to become a Most Improved Player and All-Star candidate, how the Clippers have transitioned without Kawhi Leonard and moved on from Paul George with his help and James Harden, how Intuit Dome has changed the organization, Steve Ballmer stories behind the scenes, and more with HoopsHype.

What's something behind the scenes about your journey to the NBA that the average fan doesn't know?

Norman Powell: I thought about quitting basketball a few times. I don’t think people really get to hear the dark moments that you go through. I’ve talked about being at the forefront of mental health, and guys like Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan talk about how important it is. People don’t really get to see that side of things. They hear about the work, your accolades, and your successes, but behind the scenes, the struggles and things that you go through on a daily basis, like dealing with depression and having doubts. I think a lot of people don’t know that I thought about quitting basketball a few times on this journey. I’ve dealt with different heartaches and hardships personally with my family while pursuing the dream. You have goals in mind you want to accomplish, and when things don’t go your way multiple times, you feel like the world is against you and it might not be cut out for you. That's something that a lot of people don’t know. I thought about stopping this and changing my profession.

What made you stick with basketball?

NP: My uncle. He got me started in basketball and really believed in me. I lost him when I was in high school. I made a promise to myself at his funeral when I went up there and spoke about him that anything I achieve and go after for basketball would be dedicated to him. From that moment, even though it’s been a long time since high school, you have pitfalls and things like that, but what I said about going after this goal and dedicating everything to him really kept me going and moving forward. My family was also a big supporter of me, like my mom. I leaned on them during tough times. That dedication to my uncle and family has been a motivating and driving force. My uncle’s name was Raymond Edwards, and I have a tattoo dedicated to him on my left shoulder.

How was it being a part of the only championship in Toronto Raptors history?

NP: It was amazing. Sometimes, you’ve got to pinch yourself when you hear people talking about how you’re a champion. It’s one of those lifelong childhood dreams that you dream about achieving and making, but you know the percentage of that, including all these NBA greats and legends that never won a championship. Being able to do that in Toronto and for the country, it’s like you’re immortalized there no matter where you’re at, whether you’re in Canada or not, and in the United States and traveling. You get stopped by people in Canada or from there who talk about the championship and how much you mean to the city and country. It’s an amazing feeling. I hope I can do that again. It would be amazing to have a championship in Toronto and have one with the Clippers being the first team to win a championship with this organization. It’s an amazing feeling that’s sometimes still surreal.

As a California native who played high school and college ball there (UCLA), what comes to mind now that you’re in the NBA at home with the Clippers?

NP: It’s been a full circle moment from talking to my agents and hearing I would be traded to the Clippers and telling my family. They didn’t believe that I was going to be back home in Los Angeles and so close to home that they could come to games like I was still in college. From a more important standpoint, it’s being back with family, spending holidays with them, and spending time with my niece on Thanksgiving and Christmas that I haven’t been able to do. One family member can come out and spend time with you in Portland and Toronto, but being able to consistently be around your family and not miss so many important moments in life with family that you’d normally have to sacrifice and give up when you’re traveling on the road in this pursuit of your dreams. That’s been the biggest blessing for me, being back home.

Why has this been the best season of your career so far?

NP: I think, honestly, just the opportunity. I think the work that I put in is finally showing. I’m able to go out there and be who I am on a nightly basis without having to look over my shoulder, and I have the full support of the coaching staff and my teammates. When I look back at my career, I’ve had pockets and moments where people have seen this production and play, but I haven't been able to sustain it based on the role I was put in. I think that’s the biggest difference.

Given your jump in production from last year to this year, how do you feel about your chances at the Most Improved Player award?

NP: I’d be happy to win any award. I’m not aiming for Most Improved Player. People have asked me about being an All-Star as a 10-year player. It’s just something I believe I could’ve achieved earlier, but that wasn’t the role and situation I was in. Being here, I’m living in the moment and accepting everything that comes with it. If I win Most Improved Player, I think it’s a testament to continuing working and that you can have growth, even as a 10-year player. It would help show that you can still grow your game, be impactful, and still get better. It would show everybody’s path is different. Nobody can cap growth or development as long as you have the right mindset, approach, and work ethic. You can keep getting better, growing, and helping kids who are younger guys in the league who are in situations where they’re trying to scratch and claw their way for more opportunities that it’s possible. It might not be your first two or three years. It might be your sixth, eighth, ninth, or even 10th year.

How do you feel about your All-Star case?

NP: I don’t really think about it. I want to play good basketball, go out there and win. I want to win a championship. That’s the main thing. If I’m able to do that playing my game and the way I know I can while it’s winning basketball to help the team, that’s important. I think I’m making a pretty strong case. I know there are a lot of politics and things that go into it. I’ll leave it to the voters' hands. My job is to focus on helping the team win.

James Harden has talked about the great atmosphere around the Clippers this year. Why is that the case this year in particular, compared to years past?

NP: I think the way we’re playing with the group of guys that we have – and it’s not to knock or say anything – is more team-oriented and less star-dominant. We had four superstars and Hall of Fame candidates, and everybody was used to playing a certain way. It’s hard to get four superstars on a team to mesh. You’ve seen success stories and teams like that, like Golden State, but when you’re coming and trying to build a team quickly, some things don’t work out as well, especially if you’re injury-prone because then you have guys in and out and you don’t get that chemistry. I think this year we have guys who are really team-oriented and team-focused on both sides of the ball who are willing to learn, grow, and have the mentality of doing whatever it takes to win. Everybody’s coachable and focused on the task at hand. There are no egos. I think the atmosphere has been a lot of fun. We’re playing pure basketball.

How has coach Ty Lue adapted to having a team without Paul George anymore and Kawhi Leonard sidelined?

NP: It’s been more team-oriented trying to figure out how to get everybody in the right spots and playing off each other with our different skills and being able to play off each other. We’re so versatile, a little bit younger and more athletic. We’re able to be more aggressive offensively and defensively by causing turnovers and being able to get out. The front office built our team by filling holes and gaps with different players instead of just one or two players. I think Ty Lue likes being able to move things around and shift things to give different looks. I think the guys we have on this team have a mindset that really works with Lue because they’re dogs and will play hard from the jump ball to the last horn. I think that’s the biggest thing.

How would you describe the Clippers going from ​​sharing an arena with the Lakers to being the top team now in the Intuit Dome?

NP: I think it’s been amazing. It’s been something that was probably a long time coming. I think Steve Ballmer did a great job in building the new arena and changing the logo and the identity while giving us a fresh new start from all the stuff that happened before him to grow our fanbase and who we are as an organization. He’s done it by embedding himself in the community. When you’re driving around the Intuit Dome, everybody knows you and is excited and happy to see you. It’s really welcoming.

When you have your own place, you don't see any other logos, you don’t have to change your schedule around, or security not knowing who you are and having to argue with them about letting you go down as a player. Stuff like that we had to deal with at Crypto (laughs). It’s been a seamless transition. Everybody is loving it. For me, being able to get into the gym whenever I want and be on the actual court and not the practice court to get shots up and not having to worry about not only the Lakers but even the hockey team being in there, too, has been a great time.

The new Intuit Dome has "The Wall.” What do you make of it?

NP: I love it. When they had my bobblehead night, they had me go up there into “The Wall” and bang the drums to start the game. It’s amazing. The fans there – not to take away from any other fans – but there are rules that come with being in “The Wall.” You have to stand up and be a part of the chants. You see how much energy and how excited they are for Clippers basketball. We love hearing their cheers and love seeing their signs. We also see the interactions with the opposing players. We see them talking about it and interacting with them. It’s a great mind game, and it’s unique. I don’t think anybody else has that in the league. The only time I’ve seen that was at Arizona when I was in college. I think teams are shooting close to 70 percent from the line facing the wall.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was very passionate about the new arena. How would you describe him as an owner, and are there any fun stories about him you can share?

NP: He’s a cool dude. At first, I didn’t know what to say to him or do, but he’s actually really cool. You can have a conversation with him, and he’s super passionate and energetic. When we had our start of the season dinner, he stood up, told stories, and talked about each one of the guys.

I think the funniest story for me was regarding Paul George. We were at Mastro’s, and he (Ballmer) was giving a speech and talking about every player and how he was thankful for them and their hard work. He says, “PG, when you get to dribbling, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m super excited, and when that ball goes in, I lose my mind.” He’s not only an owner. He’s a true fan. He loves basketball. You can see him every time there’s a big play or a dunk. I’m looking for his reaction on the sideline. He’s always losing his mind after a big dunk or a three. It’s amazing to have an owner who’s really into the game, knows basketball and what it takes, and supports you every step of the way.

You also have a clothing brand and foundation named Understand The Grind. What’s the meaning behind that phrase?

NP: Understand the Grind is about the mindset and approach to go after your goals and dreams and the work required to achieve those things. It started off with that saying from when I was in high school with my boys, having conversations about why people aren’t successful, especially athletes coming out of Southeast San Diego. My boy said, “A lot of people don’t understand the grind and what it takes to be successful and to make it.” That stuck with us. We used it as a motivational tool and mantra while going after our dreams and goals. I decided to make that my staple of who I am and use that to help motivate not only myself but other people through my story and the next generation of the youth coming out of San Diego or wherever.

What made you create your Understand The Grind clothing brand?

NP: It wasn’t supposed to be a clothing brand. It came out of people being interested in it. I had youth camps back home and started making shirts for the volunteers and the campers. When I posted the photos on Instagram when I was back in Toronto for my first camp, people asked where they could get the shirts we had at the camp. I decided to sit down with my family and see if it was something we wanted to do. We started making stuff and purchasing things. People were buying, and we were selling out. Then, we decided to build a whole brand behind it of what it really means to understand the grind. It started organically and naturally. It wasn’t the plan to build something out. It came organically from being interested in what it meant.

You also have your Understand The Grind as a non-profit foundation. What are your goals with it?

NP: To impact the community. We do a lot of community outreach, especially with my main focus on the next generation of kids coming up. I want to help motivate and show them that things are achievable no matter how big your dreams are and no matter what people are saying. You can be successful and make it out of your situation with the right mindset and approach. We do youth camps through that and mentorship programs. We’re expanding not only from my high school but we’re reaching out to other high schools and being introduced onto their campus and helping kids introduce themselves to successful people who come from similar backgrounds like the military, entrepreneurs who’ve successfully started businesses, other athletes, other professors and teachers from all different fields and backgrounds giving them their stories and process that motivated and helped them get to where they’re at. They’re also helping them with school and their studies. They’re showing them a different route by getting them off the streets, into the classrooms, and into a program that helps show different paths on how they can better their lives and go after their dreams.

What projects are you working on for Understand The Grind clothing brand and foundation?

NP: Coming up, we’re planning our fundraiser events like our mentorship programs. At Thanksgiving, we just did a food drive where families pulled up in their cars, and we loaded them up with supplies and stuff. Next is our holiday give back for Christmas in San Diego, where we give families gift cards to go shopping at Walmart so they can buy essentials and gifts for Christmas. Our biggest thing coming up is a cornhole and pickleball tournament that we’re working with Frontwave Arena in Oceanside so we can raise some money for our scholarship programs that we have within the foundation. We’re also doing a youth basketball camp up there as well. That’s on our immediate agenda, and building it out for the next year. We always do our staple givebacks for the holidays.

Did anyone impact you growing up that made you want to pay it forward now as an NBA player?

NP: The biggest person who motivated me and gave me this mindset and approach of giving back to the community and helping the next person was my mom. She was a big advocate in the community. She raised me and my two older sisters on her own. Even though we were struggling, she always believed it took a village. If there was a kid in one of the track or sports programs who needed a ride or wasn’t doing too well at home with a tough family upbringing, she was always there to help lend a hand and help them get into the right situation so they could be successful and get out of that toxic environment. Seeing her being such a good community advocate and being involved in so many different programs in the community really made an impact on me.

We have to give back. It’s kind of our job to help the next person. That’s how we make the world a better place. That’s how we see and have more successful people, especially coming out of the inner city. It’s not just one person. It’s the people who help you along the way to be successful, like the people who took the time to help me get to the places I needed to get to, like practices and school, and going back and forth helping my mom when it was just her. It had a big impact on me. When I got to where I needed to be, I’d always help the next person and the kids who look up to me by showing them there’s a way, even though it seems impossible from the start. If you have the right approach, mindset, and goal, you can achieve that. With my platform, I try to show, encourage, and motivate the next generation.

You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Norman Powell: 'I thought about quitting basketball a few times'