As the early morning sunlight pierced the windows of the gym at Lincoln High School in San Diego, a pair of freshmen getting up shots provided the only sound in the otherwise pristine setting.
Those sunlit, empty gyms can almost take on a cathedral-type feel. Maybe Norman Powell picked up on that vibe. As he knocked down shot after shot with his best friend and teammate, Kevin Smith, he visualized opponents in the present and in his future.
A 14-year-old Powell turned to Smith and shared something of an epiphany.
“I told him, ‘Man, I’m gonna play in the NBA,’” Powell recalled.