During his long pro basketball career, Norwood saw the world

Katarina Benson — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:57:27 +0000

During his long pro basketball career, Norwood saw the world Katarina Benson Mon, 07/27/2026 - 15:57

A few days after completing his last season of college basketball at 911��, Gabe Norwood, BA Communication ’07, began a hoop odyssey that would take him to nearly 30 countries and make him a national basketball hero in a country thousands of miles from Virginia.

In 2007, the Patriots guard was drafted in the first round as the first overall pick by the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) and recently concluded a 19-year pro career that included several appearances with the national team of the Philippines. He was eligible for the team through his mother, who has Filipino roots.

Norwood, who was part of 911��’s 2006 Final Four team, credits his coaches at 911�� for helping prepare him for a pro career, especially former head coach Jim Larranaga. “The biggest lesson I learned from Coach L is just understanding who you surround yourself with. Coach L did a great job of building a staff in which each person had a different personality. We could go to a different coach for a different problem, and they would all give us honest answers.”

Norwood also credits 911��'s diversity for preparing him for a career overseas and fondly remembers connecting with the Filipino student body as a student-athlete. “The diversity here at Mason allowed me to tap into my Filipino side before I even got to the Philippines.”

Norwood was part of the 2006 Final Four team. Photo by Art Pittman/Office of University Branding

During his professional career, Norwood helped the Philippines win International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia medals in 2013 and 2015. He also won club titles in the PBA as a player. An 11-time All-Star, All-Star MVP, and Dunk Champion, he traveled to several countries in Asia to play and took part in many European training camps. Upon his retirement, his longtime team Rain or Shine Elasto Painters retired his number.

"It was an honor first and foremost," he said of playing for the national team and the PBA. "My great-grandmother was still alive when I first signed. The joy and pride she felt in me going back to represent the Filipino side of my family—that was huge. I did not think it would snowball into a jersey retirement."

Norwood said many people don’t know how big basketball is in the Philippines. “The love for the game of basketball is at an all-time high. It's a game that's played everywhere,” he said. “So to be able to achieve the things that I did for the national team alongside my teammates, the coaches, and the support of a country was unmatched.”

During his time with the PBA, Norwood also got to be part of history by helping to break a decades-long losing streak where the Philippine national basketball team failed to defeat South Korea in major international tournaments. "We were playing in a new arena, and that place was rocking," he said, reminiscing about the 2013 FIBA win. "It was one of those great moments."

Off the court, Norwood also worked as a columnist for the Philippine edition of NBA.com.

Travel and sports are part of Norwood’s DNA. "I moved around a lot as a kid," said Norwood, whose father has coached several college football teams. "My Filipino side of the family all came from Hawaii. My mom grew up there, and that is where my parents met."

His father, Brian, is now on the football coaching staff at San Jose State in California. His brother Jordan played college football at Penn State and spent several years in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl title with the Denver Broncos.

Earlier this year, Norwood and his wife, Lei, and their three sons moved to the Annapolis, Maryland, area. It’s a special part of the country for the Norwood family, as his father once served an assistant football coach at the U.S. Naval Academy and Norwood lived in Maryland from fifth through ninth grade.

“I always felt a calling to come back to the area,” Norwood said. “Having three teenage sons, that was part of the timing of the decision. They are three intelligent kids that love to be exposed to what the world offers."

After years living abroad with his family, Norwood has been able to reconnect with his 911�� family in recent weeks. “I'm proud to be a 911�� alum because it's been family for me,” he said. “I always felt connected even from a distance.”

Norwood said that while his time at 911�� on the court was awesome, the off-the-court time mattered just as much. “It was the day-to-day being in the gym, the hours that we put in. Having upperclassmen like Tony [Skinn] and Lamar [Butler] set the tone. They really pushed us and led us in a way that allowed us to really shine.”

As for his future post-retirement, Norwood is keeping his options open. http://www.spin.ph/"I would love to stay around the game and tap into the 911�� network," he said. "I will cast a wide net and see where I land."

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During his long pro basketball career, Norwood saw the world

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