Clippers guard Norman Powell was thought to be an easy pick for the 2025 All-Star Game. He had stepped up this season when teammate Kawhi Leonard’s return was delayed by his knee issues, taking over as the leading scorer.
His numbers caught the attention of fans, coaches and media across the country. He was among the top 10 vote-getters for one of the guard spots. When he didn’t gain one of the two starting spots, most thought he would be named as a reserve.
Then that didn’t happen.
Powell was snubbed, again left behind.
“It’s tough. I definitely feel like I should’ve made it,” he said after the reserves were named.
Yet, the sharp-shooting guard will still be in San Francisco for the All-Star festivities. Powell was selected Friday to compete in the Starry Night 3-point shooting contest as part of All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 15.
Powell is shooting 43.1% from the 3-point range, ninth-best in the NBA and first among shooters taking at least 7.5 3-point shots per game.
He will be competing against Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Buddy Hield (Golden State Warriors), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets) and Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks).
Powell is the sixth Clippers player to compete in the 3-point contest. Luke Kennard was the last in 2022.
MEMORABLE MOMENT
The Clippers traded swingman Terance Mann on Thursday, sending one of their sought-after young players to the Atlanta Hawks for Bogdan Bogdanovic. The 6-foot-5 guard was drafted by the Clippers out of Florida State in 2019 and averaged 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in six seasons for the Clippers.
But of the 382 games he played in, there is one moment, one game that sticks with Lue.
During the 2021 Western Conference semifinals, Mann started in place of an injured Leonard. In Game 6, Mann dropped a career-high 39 points, including seven 3-pointers in a 131–119 victory, sparking a 25-point comeback and leading the Clippers to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history.
“Remember that all the time? I talk about it all the time,” Lue said. “Without that performance, we probably wouldn’t have made it. … He was huge for us in that game. And like I said, without that performance we might not have made it to the Western Conference Finals.”
NEW ADDITION
If he could, Ivica Zubac would play all 48 minutes of every game. But since that’s unreasonable, the Clippers traded for Drew Eubanks, a 6-10 backup center, sending former backup Mo Bamba to the Utah Jazz.
Eubanks made a favorable impression on the court in his first game in a Clippers jersey, holding his own in 13 minutes. Eubanks shot 2 for 3 from the field for four points and grabbed five rebounds.
“I thought he did a good job,” Lue said. “Energy, a tip-in, just playing with that aggressiveness. I thought he did a good job for his first game. Not really doing any plays, but I thought he did a good job just defensively.”
Utah at Clippers
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome
TV: FDSSC/570 AM