Norman Powell has earned a spot in the Toronto Raptors’ rotation and is making his bones on basketball’s biggest stage.
The 6-foot, 4-inch guard from Lincoln High scored a career-high 25 points in 34 minutes and shot 8 for 11 from the field to lead the Raptors to a 118-93 win over Milwaukee and put Toronto into a 3-2 playoff series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks last night.
After a superstar career at Lincoln, it took Powell until his senior season before he averaged 16.4 points a game, starred on defense, and blossomed into an all-conference player at UCLA.
Powell’s professional career so far has been similar to his development at UCLA. Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 46th pick in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft, Powell soon was traded to Toronto.
He got into 46 games as a rookie but appeared in 76 games in 2016-17, started 18, and averaged 8.4 points and 18 minutes.
For Rick Smith: Rick, Wayne Beachley here. I recently read the book “Southern League” after being turned on to it by Clifford Hetz. It carries Tommie Reynolds as one of the primary figures in this documentary of the racism faced by members of the Birmingham Barons. I have been trying to find a way to contact Tommie as he and I played together during the 1957 -58 season at Lincoln. As you may know he went on to an extensive minor/major baseball career. Do you know of any way to contact him by email or otherwise? Thanks for your help, Wayne
The last I heard, tommy had retired to Arkansas or Florida. Bob Moss or Floyd Robinson, Tommy’s cousin, would know. I’ll try to get some more information.