The NBA, media, and fan bases worldwide have had a habit of not crediting LA Clippers' star Norman Powell with the flowers he has earned. This has not been a trend just this season, as Powell did not finish as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist last year despite having a better statistical season than others.
Powell has been an incredibly efficient scorer his entire career and has established himself as an all-star talent who evolved from his roots as a second-round pick. Stories like this are rare, yet Powell is constantly disregarded from discussions he has proven to be in.
Furthermore, the release of the NBA 99 has Powell ranked outside the top fifty and, even worse, at number 64. As stated by Quinn Everts of FanSided.Com, "Norman Powell has shattered all notions of how NBA players develop. Although he’s always been a good player, Powell never would have cracked this list in his 20s, when common knowledge would tell you he was at his “peak."
This rationale is invalid, as his age should not be the reason he is lower than where he deserves to be. Powell has been one of the Clippers' top options, and head coach Tyronn Lue has only won five out of 13 contests without his presence.
Moreover, Powell's 64th ranking would not be viewed as a low spot if the players ahead earned their placement. However, several question marks surround those in front of the former NBA champion, especially when considering what feats he has obtained this season.
LA Clippers' phenom Norman Powell is undoubtedly a Top 50 player in the NBA
As the lead scorer for a top-six seed, Norman Powell remains underrated by NBA experts. What he is doing and has done is not normal, and media outlets should tune in to an exceptional basketball showcase at Intuit Dome.
This season, Powell is averaging 24.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on historical efficiencies of 49.6% from the field and 42.8% from three. He leads the Clippers in several categories with the third-highest usage percentage on the roster.
To name a few, Powell should be ahead of DeMar DeRozan, OG Anunoby, Austin Reaves, and Trey Murphy.
Powell is averaging better numbers than each of these players and is playing a more substantial role for his team. These two factors, and the win-loss column, show why he is misplaced on the NBA 99.
That said, along with other end-of-season ladders, Powell's next significant one is the Most Improved Player award. If he is not at least a finalist, supposing he plays 20 more games for the Clippers, there would be another level of disrespect involved.