Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reportedly asked veteran guard Norman Powell if he was alright with being called out not long after he was traded to Miami by the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Not long into his time with the Heat, who traded for him this past summer, head coach Erik Spoelstra wanted to check in on his new player,” The Athletic’s Fred Katz wrote.
“Miami’s coach had called out Powell in front of the team more than once at the start of the season. He sent him a text message with a graphic of Heat legend Dwyane Wade that included Wade’s weight, 222 pounds, and body fat, 6.2 percent. Powell was at 235 and 12 percent, respectively. Accompanied was a not-so-subtle message: ‘Something to think about.’”
Even though Spoelstra and Powell didn’t have much of a relationship yet, it appears the head coach was looking to see how much he could push the 32-year-old.
“But the two didn’t yet know each other well, and the coach needed to make sure Powell could take the heat,” Katz wrote.
“‘Is this OK?’ Spoelstra asked him privately.
“‘You can call me out every single day,’ Powell responded.”
Powell has been a huge addition for the Heat in the 2025-26 season, and he’s a major reason why the team is in the mix for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
While All-Star guard Tyler Herro has missed a lot of the 2025-26 season with injuries, Powell has stepped up to be the top offensive option for the Heat. He’s averaging 23.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from beyond the arc.
It’s great to see that Powell was so willing to be coached by Spoelstra, and it shows that he’s been able to adapt to the Heat’s culture quite well in his first season in South Beach.
Miami currently holds the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, but it is just one game out of the No. 5 seed as the league nears the trade deadline. Powell, who is in the final season of his contract, has certainly made a case to remain with the Heat for the long haul.
He’s averaging the most points per game of his NBA career, and there’s a chance he will be an All-Star selection in the Eastern Conference.
Since Powell seems to have established a nice relationship with Spoelstra, it’s possible that he and the Heat can form a long-term partnership when he is a free agent this offseason.
For now, the veteran will focus on getting this Heat team into the playoffs, ideally by finishing in the top six in the regular season.