In a major boost to Jamaica's national basketball program, Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Norman Powell has officially announced his availability to represent Team Jamaica in the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers, set for August 8–10, 2025.
The 30-year-old NBA veteran made the announcement via a video posted to social media, expressing his enthusiasm and commitment to helping Jamaica secure a place on basketball’s biggest stage.
“It’s Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers,” he said. “Just want to say how super excited I am to be joining Team Jamaica. I’ve been working with Coach (Rick) Turner for a long time with this process and getting it done, and now it’s a reality. You’ve got a player that understands the grind and is ready to put that work in. We need all your help to make this a reality.”
Powell’s declaration is the result of a long-term effort involving Jamaica national team head coach Nick Turner, who has worked closely with the player to secure his FIBA eligibility.
Paulton Gordon, President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), welcomed Powell’s announcement, calling it a massive win for the program.
“Norman has been awaiting the opportunity to represent Jamaica,” Gordon said. “His leadership and experience will go a far way in guiding the younger players as we enter the pre-World Cup qualifiers. His mission is to help establish Jamaica as a basketball powerhouse in the region. He’s convinced we have the natural talent to match the success of our more established sports.”
Jamaica will face Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, and the US Virgin Islands in the pre-qualifier tournament this August as they attempt to progress through FIBA’s qualification pathway for the 2027 World Cup.
Powell, a seasoned NBA scorer and former NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, was among JaBA’s top targets, alongside several other notable players of Jamaican descent. These include Nick Richards (Phoenix Suns), Justin Champagnie (Washington Wizards), Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs), Josh Minott (Minnesota Timberwolves), and the highly touted Thompson twins—Amen (Houston Rockets) and Ausar (Detroit Pistons).
While many of these players have expressed interest in donning the black, green, and gold, some are still navigating FIBA eligibility requirements. Nevertheless, Powell’s commitment marks a major step forward and sends a clear message that Jamaica is serious about making noise in international basketball.
With the pre-qualifiers fast approaching, fans will be eager to see if this is the start of a golden era for Jamaican hoops. And with Norman Powell in the mix, that dream just got a whole lot closer to reality.
Photos: Norman Powell Instagram