Former Bruin Turns in One of Best Performances of NBA Career

Former UCLA star Norman Powell has been lighting it up for the Los Angeles Clippers this season. His latest outing was just another testament.

Dec 30, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LA Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

UCLA has several former players currently in the NBA who have had successful careers.

One former Bruin, in particular, though, has been having a monster 2024-25 season.

Normal Powell is having a breakout campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers. The former UCLA star is averaging a career-best 24.6 points per game. His latest performance was one of his best.

Powell scored 35 points in Los Angeles' win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. It was his second-highest scoring outing this season -- his highest was his 37-point performance against the Denver Nuggets in the Clippers' second game of the season.

Powell has been on a roll as of late, averaging 29.3 points per game in his last six games. He has been Los Angeles' best player so far this season, a huge surprise considering it has a two-time MVP in James Harden.

Powell is clearly the league's most improved player this season, and if he keeps going at the pace the rest of the way, he should win the award. And keep in mind, Powell is doing all of this in his 10th NBA season.

Powell has had a solid NBA career. He has been a valuable contributor on contending teams, including 2018-19 when he won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors.

The veteran has averaged 12.8 points per game in his NBA career and has never averaged 20 points in a season. The closest he ever came was in 2021-22 when he averaged 19.

Powell played four seasons at UCLA. In his final season with the Bruins, he averaged 16.4 points per game, 4.7 rebound and 2.1 assists in 36 games. He was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team that year and helped lead UCLA to the Sweet Sixteen, where it fell to No. 2-seeded Gonzaga.

Powell would be drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft before being traded to the Raptors. He spent five-plus seasons in Toronto before he was traded to the Portland Trailblazers.

He played 27 games for Portland in the 2020-21 season and 40 the following season before being traded to Los Angeles.

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