Former UCLA Star Still Thriving Despite Return of Superstar Teammate

Former UCLA star and now Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell is still making a case for the NBA's Most Improved Player despite the return of Kawhi Leonard.

Jan 19, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (12) during the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Clippers guard and former UCLA star Norman Powell has been having a career year, averaging more than 23 points a game in what is his 10th NBA season.

It seemed a reasonable explanation for Powell's massive leap could have been the absence of his superstar teammate, Kawhi Leonard, arguably the best player on the roster.

But Leonard returned this month after having previously been out since the 2024 postseason when he suffered a right knee injury.

Since returning to the court, the six-time all-star has played in five games, posting 12, 8, 6, 23 and 19 points respecitvely.

Even since his return, Powell has continued to be the All-Star-caliber player he has been all season.

In those same games, he recorded 20, 25, 29, 18 and 22, respectively. The 22 led all Clippers in their win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. Meanwhile Leonard scored his 19 while former MVP James Harden and Ivica Zubac each finished with 21. And yet he outscored all of them.

It's clear that even with the superstar duo of Leonard and Harden, who are both considered to be among the greatest to ever play the game, Powell is still proving to be the team's top scorer this season.

It's quite the difference from when he was teammates with Leonard in 2018-19 when the two won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors. Back then, Powell had averaged merely 8.6 points per game while averaging just under 19 minutes.

Leonard, meanwhile, had been the primary reason for the Raptors' iconic run to their first title in franchise history. He would win Finals MVP in the team's unlikely six-game upset of the back-to-back reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors, the second time he had won the award. He had previously won it five years earlier when he helped will the San Antonio Spurs to the 2014 title.

Leonard had won the Defensive Player of the Year Award that season, as well as the following season.

Leonard has never won the league MVP but has finished in the top five in the voting three times, including 2015-16 and 2016-17 when he finished second and third, respectively.

While Leonard has only been back five games, Powell hasn't missed a beat, and if he keeps this production up, he should undoubtedly be a finalist for the league's Most Improved Player Award.

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