Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell has officially committed to represent Jamaica at the 2027 FIBA World Cup Americas Pre-Qualifiers scheduled for August 8–10, 2025.
The announcement was made by the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), which confirmed Powell’s availability through a video shared on social media.
The 31-year-old is currently averaging a career-best 22.1 points per game in the 2024–25 NBA season, while also contributing 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32.4 minutes for the Clippers.
“I’m super excited to join Team Jamaica,” Powell said in the announcement. “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.”
National team head coach Nick Turner, who played a key role in securing Powell’s FIBA eligibility, has been in close contact with the player for several months.
Jamaica, ranked No. 109 in the current FIBA standings, will face Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, and the US Virgin Islands in the pre-qualifying round.
Powell’s addition marks a major step for the program, which has struggled to maintain consistency since its historic run in the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.
In that tournament, Jamaica recorded upset victories over Brazil and Argentina, two former world champions.
Powell, a 2019 NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, is one of several players of Jamaican descent JaBA has targeted in its recent recruitment drive.
Others include Nick Richards (Phoenix Suns), Justin Champagnie (Washington Wizards), Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs), Josh Minott (Minnesota Timberwolves), and twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, who play for the Rockets and Pistons respectively.
While Powell’s eligibility is confirmed, some of the other prospects are still finalizing the necessary documentation to participate under FIBA rules.
Jamaica’s last major international appearance came in the 2012 Centrobasket tournament, where the team won its first medal with a bronze finish.
That success followed a fifth-place finish at the 2010 Centrobasket, which featured NBA veteran Roy Hibbert in a leading role.
The upcoming pre-qualifiers will be critical for the Caribbean nation’s hopes of reaching its first-ever FIBA World Cup.
Despite its low global ranking, Jamaica’s core of young NBA players and experienced veterans provides a foundation with potential.
