"You Don't Need A Generational Superstar": Norman Powell Opens Up On Personal Formula For Winning

Norman Powell has heard all the flattering remarks before: underrated, under-the-radar, borderline All-Star. He may not be a blockbuster name, but for this former NBA champion, blockbuster names are not a prerequisite to winning big in the league.

In an interview with veteran reporter Marc J. Spears, the freshly acquired Miami Heat guard revealed his personal formula for success in the NBA. For Powell, his new squad has all the ingredients for a title run.

“We can be really good. One thing that people don’t understand or see is that you don’t need a generational superstar or talent to be good to go and win a championship and have a deep playoff run,” Powell told Spears.

On the one hand, Powell could be emphasizing the importance of teamwork and chemistry in the sport of basketball with these comments. On the other hand, this sound bite is a bit ironic because Powell’s lone NBA championship came with the 2019 Toronto Raptors squad, which was led by superstar Kawhi Leonard.

It’s possible, of course, that Powell was focusing on the here and now with the Heat roster, which embodies the team-first approach as presently constructed. While Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are former All-Stars, there isn’t one name on the lineup that stands out as a dominant franchise player.

For Powell, that’s perfectly acceptable. Here’s how he sees the 2025–26 Heat squad: “A well-rounded team with experience with star players, which we have in Bam and Tyler – and I see myself as well as a budding star even though I’m 32 now.”

Last year’s iteration of the Heat made it through the play-in tournament, but was ultimately swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. Powell, however, doesn’t seem to be fazed by this. In fact, he’s quite excited to hit the ground running with his new teammates.

“We have a great team built around guys who have an opportunity to step up and play bigger roles,” Powell added. “We have the DNA to be a team to be feared going into the season.”