On this week’s episode of ‘The Young Man and the Three’ we welcome Norm Powell of the Los Angeles Clippers and Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets. Cam opens the episode by brainstorming with Tommy different ways to fix and help all-star weekend going forward. After, Norm begins with discussing his basketball beginnings in South California and attending UCLA, the difficulties he dealt with in his college career, and more. He then opens up about his time on the Toronto Raptors, including defeating Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, Kawhi Leonard’s game-winner against the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs, what he learned from Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan, resisting a roster that had himself, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siam, and OG Anunoby, and why he was upset that the Raptors traded him. He later shares what he learned about him himself from his time on the Portland Trailblazers, how James Harden is as a teammate, what he meant by his “addition by subtraction” quote about Paul George, and what has led to his jump in play and career year. Let’s go!
0:00 Intro
1:01 Cam Johnson on Fixing All-Star Weekend
21:48 Norman Powell Interview
Subscribe to The Young Man and The Three podcast aka YM3 YouTube channel today for more NBA analysis, player interviews and highlights.
Previously The Old Man and the Three w/ JJ Redick (ESPN / First Take) and Tommy Alter
26 Comments
Should have been an Allstar this year
Blossoming to an all star level now, Toronto misses you Norm
Norman Powell was one of my favourite Raptors. Miss him ❤
Incentive for what?! Yall incentive is to become an all star, and you already make millions. Smh. You can’t fix the all star game no matter what cuz they all spoiled lol let’s just let it be fun, cuz they will never compete and if it takes more money to make them, then what we really doing lol it’s an all star game who cares if they play super hard. Dude really complaining about shooting 3s for a minute lol I can’t. The players see this as a break.. that’s the problem.. and the players that are selected don’t want to play hard to risk injury.
NORM GOD!
Did not like losing Norm at all. So dope to see him thriving. All the Raptors who wanted to stay – wish we could have them all together again for a little while
The bench mob will always been a legendary time for the Raps, always got love for Norm
Nothing but love for Norm after his time in Toronto, great to see him thriving n getting the recognition he deserves!
27:20 Bane just got his jersey retired at TCU, not SMU lol
People don't even know HORSE has been done in the ASW, twice. Great first year, bad (too long) the second time.
Big raptors fan. Really interesting to hear Norm's perspective. I remember being super surprised at the time, and it's clear now moving him was the beginning of the end in retrospect. I miss the bench mob deeply.
My wife who does not watch the NBA was a huge fan of the All Star game. Her only complaint was her saying it felt like a TNT farewell with the all star game sprinkled in-between
For sure an all star snub
Should be MIP and nobody else should even come close. NBA PLEASE dont vote for nobody like Cade who was the #1 pick and already on this trajectory.
always got love for norm
We talk about players needing incentive to play hard in the All-Star game. The honor of BEING an All-Star should be the incentive. YOU were voted as being one of the best players in the league, YOU go out there and play against these guys every year, YOU should already be incentivized to prove why you're better than them and belong there more. The incentive is within. These guys just make way too much money in 2025 for there to ever be any other kind of incentive.
As a Raps fan it was sad to see Norm go when he did, I always saw his potential during his time with us. But its hard to show what you can do when you're the 4th to 5th option on the floor, glad he's finally starting to get the recognition he deserves in LA 🫡
I hated this trade at the time and has only aged worse. Norm Powell is a much better player than GTJ and playing better in his 30s. One of Masai’s worse moves. Norm is still a popular player here, Toronto misses you.
the toronto bench mob of that raptors era was as good as lot of starting lineups across the league.
What a great guy!! Norm has always been a class act. Heart.
A real player. Loved Norm from day 1 on T.O.
You are missed terribly.
But we are sooooo happy for you & your continued success.🤗
Bench mob flowers
Poeltl
Pascal
Norm
Delon
Fred
Sad and whack that players want more money and fame rather than the pride of being an all star and competing against the best in front of the world, a night you know everyone's watching.
been great seeing norm finally get his flowers this season, been incredibly underrated for a long time
NP 100% Raptor forever
Dillon Brooks would be a good 1 on 1 candidate.
It sucks that the Raptors traded Norm but the end of that squad as it was began when Kawhi left with no return. A team just loses a top 3-5 player for nothing, kinda hard to retool quickly after that.
Like yeah, guys can fill in what he gave as a collective, but you lose that scalpel that becomes so important in the playoffs and gives consistency. Pascal sucked against Boston, don't blame him for that, but i doubt he has as tough of a series if he can still play off Kawhi. Just needed him to sign a 1 year + 1 player option, then if we don't go back to back, he can go. I get wanting to go home, but damn, he still had like 40% of his career after 2020 that he could've been in L.A. Paul George over us man? Damn. Miss that team so much.