MIAMI (United States) – Veteran Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Norman Powell has announced that he will be available to represent Jamaica in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers, set to take place this coming August. The 31-year-old made the announcement in a video shared by the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) on its social media platforms. “I’m super excited to join Team Jamaica,” Powell said. “Coach Turner and I have worked on this for a while, and now it’s a reality. I’m ready to grind and need everyone’s support to make it happen.”
Nick Turner, Jamaica national team head coach, played a key role in securing Powell’s eligibility. Although born in San Diego, California (USA), Powell has Jamaican heritage. Currently in his 10th NBA season, Powell posted a career-high scoring average of 21.9 points during the 2024–25 campaign with the Clippers, along with an impressive 42% shooting from three-point range. The perimeter player, who won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2018–19 and also had a stint with the Portland Trail Blazers, is the first of several NBA players of Jamaican descent that JaBA aims to bring into the senior national team. Other names on that list include Nick Richards (Phoenix Suns), Josh Minott (Minnesota Timberwolves), brothers Justin Champagnie (Washington Wizards) and Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs), as well as twins Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets) and Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons). The potential addition of these players would place Jamaica and its basketball federation in a strong position to make a significant mark on the international stage. In addition to Jamaica, in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers will compete Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The top four teams will advance to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers. FIBA