Norman Powell Shares his Raptors Memories, Training with Fred VanVleet, & Championship

Former Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell spent Tuesday reflecting on his time with the organization and the 2019 championship season

Aaron Rose | Dec 28, 2022

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

It was on the drive into Toronto that everything started coming back to Norman Powell.

After nearly three years away from Toronto, through a global pandemic, a move to Tampa, and two trades, Powell was looking forward to his return. He'd circled the game on the calendar, he said, aware, of course, that it would not only be an emotional night but also another opportunity to keep his perfect 2-0 record against the Toronto Raptors clean.

“When we landed here and we were driving to the city down to the hotel, you start to think about all the moments and the memories you had here, all the ups and downs and the fans and organization sticking with me through all of it," Powell said after dropping 22 points in a victory over the Raptors. "It was just a great full-circle moment for me to be where it all started."

It was amazing, Powell said, albeit different. In his six seasons with the Raptors, five in Toronto, he'd never been in the visiting locker room. It was unusual, a little weird, he added, walking through the red and black corridors, past the glamorous Raptors' locker room, and into the bland visitor's room.

He was prepared for the tribute video that aired during the first timeout, convinced that despite whatever ovation he received he wouldn't cry. The applause was loud from the Raptors faithful who stood in appreciation as Powell raised his arms in acknowledgment. The emotions were certainly there, but Powell's upper lip stayed firm, only cracking a smile as highlights of his most impressive dunks played one after another on the jumbotron.

But for all the incredible games, the game-saving buckets, and big-time playoff performances, it was the little things that Powell wanted to reflect on. He recalled his early days, training and going at a young Fred VanVleet until the competitive juices became too much.

"That’s what brought us together on the court. The mentality, going through all the ups and downs, people counting us out, but we believed in ourselves and continued to work, continued to grind," said Powell. "We want to win. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, it could be ugly, it could be good, we were trying to win every drill, every possession. And I like that. ... It was definitely a lot of arguments, a lot of cussing going at each other. Those were good times."

That's what made that era of Raptors basketball so special. While DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry were doing their thing at the highest level, there was a group of young and talented players fomenting just below the surface. It was a mature group from VanVleet and Siakam to Delon Wright and Jakob Poeltl who'd been through the ups and downs and battled through multiple years of college before breaking through.

It was the grind, as Powell would say, that made the journey so special. And when it paid off, nothing could have been sweeter.

"I still think back. I still look at the pictures," Powell said of that 2019 championship season. "Just reminiscing on that time and how crazy it was for the city was definitely amazing. It still feels surreal."

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