National Post (National Edition)
Powell ‘optimistic’ NBA will return
Raptor believes his team will defend its title
Norm Powell now has a basketball hoop in his Las Vegas driveway, his dogs in his backyard and, for the most part, he’s content.
Like everyone else associated with the Toronto Raptors, Powell is anxious to get back on an NBA court but also like everyone, he sees the need to be cautious and protected as the world deals with this coronavirus pandemic. But unlike a lot of the doomsday voices, Powell is optimistic that the season in which he and his teammates are defending an NBA title is not necessarily over.
“I’m very optimistic,” Powell said on a conference call. “The talks that we’ve had with the (Players’ Association), and what they’ve told us about what the NBA wants to do, they’re very eager and trying to find a way to get us to resume basketball, so I’m optimistic.
“We have to remain optimistic and hopeful that we’ll be able to get back on the court, and things will go back to normal sooner than later. And that just comes with overall just wanting the world to be back running as usual, with everybody healthy and things like that, it’s more than just wanting to get back on the court, you’re worried about the grand scheme of things, on a global scale, you have family members that need to get back to work and provide for their families, so I’m optimistic that if we’re able to resume, then everything else will start to come back and the world will get back running.”
In the interim, Powell is taking things very much on a moment to moment basis from his off-season home, where he retreated only after a 14-day quarantine period in Toronto. It’s an approach that worked so well for him over the course of the season that it’s only natural he would take a similar one with the world on hold.
“Honestly, I think my mental approach to everything and my outlook on everything was really what helped me and worked for me,” Powell said in response to a question about what made the latter part of his season such a success.
“You guys know and I always talk about how hard I work and how much time I put in on my game and the skill side of it. But I really focused on the mental aspect of the game and not only just basketball but the way I approached life in general. That really helped me stay even keeled and locked in whatever was thrown my way.”
Twice before the pandemic became a reality, Powell had put together a series of really good games only to have an injury stop him dead in his tracks. Both times he came back from those injuries, he did so without missing a beat. One was an 11-game absence, while the second injury cost him nine games. Powell brushed both off like they were nothing.
He refused to get frustrated. He just took the time to work on his game. With a hand injury and then a shoulder injury, Powell could still work on things.
“Just look at it like I’m hurt, I’m out, what can I do now?” Powell said of his approach. “How can I improve? How can I get back? I didn’t let that affect me. Even when I wouldn’t have a good game or wouldn’t make shots or make mistakes, I wouldn’t let that affect me. I stayed locked in on the now and the moment and what I needed to do next. I think that is what helped me.”
And that’s exactly what he’s doing now. As good as things were going for Powell and his teammates when this whole season came to a screeching halt, he says there is no sense of frustration.
“We’re not upset about it or frustrated. We’re just trying to get prepared and stay ready for what the NBA comes with to try to salvage the rest of the season,” he said. “This is a serious virus and pandemic going on in the world. We’re taking all the precautions that are necessary to stay healthy and be prepared for whatever comes next.”