Athlete POV: No Place Like Home (The Intuit Dome) For The Clippers’ Norman Powell

The consistent work habits and quiet confidence L.A. Clipper Norman Powell developed in San Diego  gymnasiums during his youth, and later at UCLA with the Bruins, laid the foundation for his success. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are the most recognizable faces on the Los Angeles team, what Norm is every single night is “The X Factor.”

Before his recent  hamstring injury, he hit another level. He consistently scored 24 points per game while maintaining a 50% field goal shooting average, which are his best numbers over his decade long NBA Career.

When healthy, Powell can effortlessly execute a crossover with two judicious dribbles and knock down a 17-foot mid-range jumper, a skill that is becoming increasingly rare in today’s NBA. With a strong build at 6’4″ and 215 pounds, he can also overpower opponents and drive to the basket for a traditional 3-point play or rise-up for a powerful dunk through the lane. His most dangerous weapon in the modern day NBA, is his ability to shoot from 28 feet and beyond. Norman “Pow Pow” Powell will shoot the three-pointer over outstretched arms and right in your face. He does it with ease and with regularity. He’s not afraid.

Intuitive Vision: LA Clippers’ New Intuit Dome Changes The Game

Here, Norman discusses his stellar All-Star-caliber season., the joy of playing in the brand news state of the art Intuit Dome, competing in the NBA All-Star weekend’s 3-point championship and manifesting another championship season.

Pollstar: How does it feel to walk into the Intuit Dome, your new multi-billion dollar basketball home, every day?
Norman Powerll: It feels good and comfortable at home. It’s just been super easy just being able to walk in every single day–good days and bad days–with a routine. When it’s your gym time and it’s our facility, it’s just better.  When we were sharing the actual arena before with the Lakers and the Kings or whatever, we couldn’t get on the floor, we couldn’t  in and now we have access to the actual floor on game day. We have it at all times for  practice and preparing.

I’ve always been interested in how athletes prepare for game day. How do you get into the right mindset?
I am very much a routine guy. I stay in my box. I listen to the same music by the same artist – Nipsey Hussle, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, a little Drake, a lot of old school, I love J. Cole, Might Delete Later. I’m really into the older music that’s about motivation, going through the hard times and coming out on the top. That’s really what I’m about. It gets me focused. 

How does your typical routine change on your day off? Does your music selection change as well?
I like to have it still be the same music. Like when I’m going to work I don’t try to get too far away from that, but if I’m listening to chill music, I have some SZA or Tems and let my mind relax, always still thinking about how I can get better. How do I improve? Tems takes me back to my roots, Jamaican Caribbean flavor and it still motivates me.  

Let’s go back to your UCLA roots. The program has a rich tradition and history. What was your first impression walking into Pauley Pavilion? Could you sense the history of all the championships and the Pyramid of Success?
There’s so much tradition there. You gotta do so much to reach that success level. You have four time all Americans. The way the game is now, it’s unrealistic. I don’t know if anybody can get to that level from those times. You know you got a couple of them Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Jrue Holiday, Josh Ship, guys like Zach Levine, Lonzo Ball, coming out of UCLA that set the standard very high.

Toby Bailey, my good friend, won the last championship in 1995 with UCLA. How do you apply that winning UCLA mindset to the NBA and bring championships to franchises that haven’t historically won?
It’s how do we get that first one? How do we create history? How do we create the culture and the mindset? That’s what it was like in Toronto when we’re at Scotiabank Arena. It was a hockey championship banner that hung up in the Rafters. The Raptors had not won yet for basketball. To be able to go back and see that banner hanging up and being part of that history means a lot. It is what I’m focused on being with the Clippers, getting the first championship especially now, having the first one here would be special. 

Has being in Los Angeles, a different market than Toronto, added any extra pressure or weight on your shoulders?
There’s the history of the Clippers not being able to get it done. You know internally at least with myself I don’t feel the extra pressure. We just want to always compete at the highest level.

Has the mentality changed this year knowing that you are a starter with championship goals? 
I was looking at myself when I got the opportunity to have this role. It’s just about stepping into it and showing that I’ve always been this guy. Once I got the role, there is never any additional pressure on me now or like how can I do this? 

I talked to Lawrence Frank (Clippers President of Basketball Operations and former coach) and I told him that I’m ready.  You’ve been leaning on me through tough times. I’m gonna be there. I’m not gonna fail. I feel like I’m gonna figure it out and I’m gonna take this opportunity. I feel like I’m  prepared for it and my mentality has never shifted no matter what others have been saying about me whether it’s articles – you know that I believe I could be one of the top players in the league. 

How do you feel about participating in the 3-point contest during All-Star Weekend, but not playing in the All-Star game? Do you feel that you have something left to prove, given that you belong among these players?
I don’t like thinking I have to go out and prove people wrong. I don’t play the game that way. I’ve always wanted to be part of the three-point contest. It’s gonna be more motivation for me to go out there, I want to win. I want to win. I’m participating and I’m competitive cause I want to win. I’m just not there for the experience of the three-point contest. I want to win it. 

To not have the opportunity to participate (in the game) it’s gonna be motivating being in the atmosphere that we all can experience. Knowing you will be there for Sunday of the actual game and see if guys do their thing, it’s just extra motivation for me.  How do I figure out next year? To make sure it’s gonna be me. You take it like a loss, you kind of sit there. 

It’s like Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback). When he lost two years ago, he watched the celebration. You think, “OK, like I gotta feel this pain. It’s gonna help me down the line to get where I wanna be,” I take that approach to it. This is cool but I want this and how do I approach getting to that? 

Remember that picture of Russ when KD won an MVP. You saw Russ kind of in the background mean mugging. He’s happy for KD, but he’s also like I want that trophy too. That’s what I got going with this whole experience.  

Tell me about the Intuit Dome and what sets it apart from other places you have played?
It’s like  a candy store even to this day you walk in a beautiful space. The customization of everything they do for us is amazing. It’s a good feeling I’m still in awe of it all. 

Have your family and friends been able to see a bunch of games?
My family friends that come to the games feel great – it kind of feels bougie (laughs to himself) We got this room over here. We have the cold tub, hot tub, the recovery equipment, red light system and so many things that we’ve never had before. It feels like you know bragging a little bit, but you want to show people it and you want to give your friends and family the full tour experience and honestly there’s still so much I haven’t seen in this building. 

You know I come and get my work in. But sitting here, you know from a fan experience and for my family, I am like go check out the concourse, check out the MVP zone up top. 

Steve’s (Ballmer) done such a great job for the Fan experience, its top-tier. 

When you hit that deep 3 after a James Harden swing pass can you hear them go crazy??
Everybody seems to enjoy it from top all the way down to the court side seats. It’s such a unique feeling and experience!  I actually wanna experience it at some point from a fans perspective. It’s honestly amazing. I never get bored coming in here, it’s exciting every game to come in here. 

It’s such a blessing being in a brand new facility for the first time and they’ve done a great job, taking bits and pieces from other arenas and like creating that wall it’s an intense cheering section for the visiting team – the hecklers with the fans being so close while shooting free throws. They take great bits and pieces from other arenas to give us the best sporting atmosphere and entertainment atmosphere. You’re higher up with the seats closer to the game and give a little bit more space. So many things they didn’t miss so that everybody can enjoy coming to the arena.

You mentioned the Top of The Dome and as a fan It’s only missing one thing. You’ve always been able to envision yourself achieving great things. You did that in Toronto when you envisioned winning a championship. Now, when you look up at the rafters of the Intuit Dome and see no banners, do you envision yourself looking up there one day and seeing a championship banner?
I picture everything man I picture that moment. I’m big on manifestation. I wanna put it out there in the universe and it is gonna come back in some way, shape or form. I definitely have envisioned it. I’m excited about it. Hopefully it happens. I’m older now. It’s year 10 for me. When you are younger you think you have so much time ahead of you, but I hope so. I have been fortunate to be on many playoff teams, championship teams, I know getting one in Toronto was hard, but it’s also something that I know I want. If it doesn’t happen, that won’t break me. I can live with the results, but now it’s just getting everybody to buy into that mentality, the belief that we can – hopefully this year – if not this year – next year and that we are continually always building towards it I know how hard it is, but I am putting everything “into it” to get one here. No pun intended.