Norman Powell, star guard for the LA Clippers, has announced with great enthusiasm his commitment to represent Jamaica at the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifier tournament, set to take place from August 8-10, 2025.

In a video shared on social media, the 30-year-old NBA veteran expressed his excitement about joining Team Jamaica and working closely with head coach Rick Turner.

“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.”

Born to Jamaican parents, Powell is one of Jamaica Basketball Association’s (JaBA) top recruitment targets alongside NBA talents such as Nick Richards (Phoenix Suns), Isaiah Stewart (Detroit Pistons), Josh Minott (Minnesota Timberwolves), the highly rated Thompson twins Amen (Houston Rockets) and Ausar (Detroit Pistons), as well as Justin Champagnie (Washington Wizards) and Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs).

As well as Powell, a strong core of players have declared their availability for Team Jamaica. This includes 6’7” forward Tyran de Lattibeaudiere, currently playing for Start Lublin in Poland, and Jordan Kellier, who began his professional career in Spain with Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa after impressively averaging a double-double and earning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year honors during his time at West Chester University.

The squad also features versatile 6’10” forward Kentan Facey from Trelawny, a former NCAA National Champion at the University of Connecticut (UConn) who has been competing professionally in Europe, alongside Romaro Gill, the 2020 Big East Defensive Player of the Year at Seton Hall, currently playing for Club Ourense Baloncesto in Spain’s competitive LEB Oro league.

Coming off a strong 2024-2025 season, Powell started 60 games for the Clippers and averaged an impressive 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He shot a stellar 48.4% from the field and 41.8% from beyond the arc, showcasing his scoring ability and efficiency at the highest level.

Jamaica will face stiff competition in the Pre-Qualifier tournament, going up against Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador, and the US Virgin Islands as they strive to secure a place in the 2027 FIBA World Cup.