MIAMI – Norman Powell may not have seen it coming, but joining the Miami Heat has turned into a dream come true.
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The 32-year-old guard, acquired by the Heat in a surprising three-team trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz earlier this week, spoke publicly for the first time about the move — and revealed his deep-rooted admiration for the franchise.
“It was a childhood dream to come here,” Powell told Local 10 News Wednesday, adding that he grew up rooting for the Heat and always loved the idea of playing for the team.
Still, the trade caught him off guard.
“And then when I got the call and said I was traded, obviously it’s a shock, because you’re not expecting it — you just had a career year, and you know, you like to believe that you’re gonna think you’re gonna have some extension talks and things when you’re back,” Powell said. “But hearing that it was Miami, I was really excited. I’ve had a couple of guys that I’ve played with play for the team, the organization — they said amazing things about the city, about the fans, about the organization.”
Powell, 32, has only improved with age.
Last season, he averaged 21.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting — the most efficient and productive year of his career.
