Longtime NBA G Gives Praiseful Rank to Former Bruin Powell

The UCLA Bruins have been well represented across the NBA this season, especially by former UCLA star Norman Powell.

The former Bruin and current Los Angeles Clippers guard received high praise from longtime NBA guard Patrick Beverly when he ranked his top five best third options in the NBA during a recent episode of the "Pat Bev Pod."

The list left out some notable names, but for Powell, he not only made the cut but landed third overall in the ranks. The rankings are as follow:

1. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
2. Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee Bucks
3. Norman Powell, LA Clippers
4. Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
5. Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics

The best 3rd options in the NBA! Presented by @NewAmsterdam pic.twitter.com/lot346YFQ0
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) February 18, 2025

Powell leads the Clippers in scoring and has dropped the most points for the club this season. Viewing Powell, who is having grand success, as a third option behind presumably James Harden and Kawhi Leonard is not a bad title to hold.

A third option, as defined by Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach, is "a star, at least on a good team, [but one that sacrifices] some faction of his game for the greater good." Powell has been nothing but spectacular this season as he and the rest of the Clippers continue to claw their way back to the top of the Pacific standings.

It is crucial to note that division rival Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers took the first spot according to Beverly. When comparing Reaves and Powell to one another, Reaves only beats Powell in assists per game and rebounds per game.

Reaves is worthy of the ranking however, as he plays hard but highly gets shadowed by LeBron James and now newly added star Luka Doncic. For the Clippers, however, Powell has been the leading scorer in 26 of the franchises 54 games played in the first half of the season.

If Powell is being considered a third option behind Harden and Kawhi Leonard, it might be considered a slap in the face, especially looking at how success Powell has been this season. Compared to Reaves and Kuzma, Powell makes less sense in the third man position compared to those two players.

Given the fact Kawhi Leonard has had a down season, mostly due to injury, Powell could potentially be in the conversation to be jumped up to the No. 2 spot rather than sitting in the middle of the road at No. 3.

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