“Kobe Bryant’s Mentality and Dwyane Wade’s Skillset”: Paul George’s Clippers Teammate Norman Powell Dishes on His 2 Greatest Influences

Paul George’s LA Clippers teammate, Norman Powell, recently appeared on Podcast P to talk about several nuances of his life playing basketball. The 2019 NBA champion has been a solid rotation player for the Clippers since being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022. Powell averages a career-high 20 points in the seven games he has played since being traded to the team.

Much of the Clippers guard’s prowess and skills in basketball can be owed to him looking up to his idols- Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. Powell, who led the NBA in points off the bench earlier this year, has learned about being serious with his work ethic by watching Kobe play day in and day out. This is also one of the reasons why Powell chose to wear 24 as his jersey number.

Norman Powell chooses D-Wade’s skills and Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba mentality’ as his biggest influences

Norman Powell has always had a staggering and dominant aura whenever he was on the court. This aspect of the Clippers guard was also noticed by All-Star Paul George, who pondered upon the reason behind Powell’s ‘cockiness’ on the court.

However, let’s not forget how Kobe Bryant also had a similar mentality when stepping on the court. Calling D-Wade and Bryant as his biggest influences, Powell told George,

“When I was growing up like Kobe was what I used as like my mental approach to the game. And I am viewing him from an outside perspective. So I’m looking at videos, interviews, what people are saying about him, his approach, his mentality. And then I use like, okay Kobe is 6’6″, crazy skillset whatever it is. I’m 6’3, 6’4 I can compare myself to. So, I put Kobe [Bryant]’s mentality and D[wayne]-Wade’s skillset in being able to slash and attack the rim into one.” 

Powell can often be seen posting clips and quotes from Kobe Bryant, assuring his love for the legend on Instagram. The Clippers star idolizing the Mamba can be seen evidently from his Clippers jersey number 24 during game nights.

Powell was incredibly honored to meet Bryant at an invite-only camp, wherein the late Lakers legend dissected his game and gave him some valuable tips to go forward in the league. This, as the Clippers guard described, was one of his favorite moments from his NBA career.

Norman Powell, indeed is an interesting addition to the Clippers, combining the ability of being a wing scorer and shooting threes. In Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s absence, Powell always becomes the first man to show up on crucial game nights for LA. And some of it can be credited to DeMar DeRozan as well.

DeMar DeRozan guided Norman Powell to become a future star

Though Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade indeed are Powell’s biggest influences, it was veteran DeMar DeRozan who helped Powell to blossom as a player. Speaking to Paul George about the same, Powell revealed how he is grateful to DeRozan for taking him under his wing at the Raptors.

Powell said,

“DeMar was like the first one that I got to interact with, work out with, you know pick his brain. So, I was just in the mode of like whatever this man asked me to do, however he tell me, like he tell me to jump, I say ‘How high?'” 

Powell clearly looked up to DeMar DeRozan and was quite shocked to know about his trade after the Raptors’ 2018 playoff exit. In that game, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers swept Toronto in the second round, marking their worst playoff exit. Powell realized a significant change was coming for the team.