Credit: McDonald's
Brian Bowen Draft Profile
Breaking down the NBA potential of Brian Bowen
| No College | 6’7″ 205 | Small Forward | Sydney Kings | 20 Yrs. Old |
| 6.3 ppg | 3.2 rpg | 15.4 mpg | FG: 45.1% | 3 PT: 34.2% |
Wingspan: 6’10”
NBA comparison: Torrey Craig/Wes Iwundu
Strengths: Shot Creation, Natural Scorer, Length
Weaknesses: Small Sample Size, Perimeter Defense
Bowen has had a roller coaster 2 years since graduating high school in 2017. He originally committed to Louisville, before being named in the investigation into college basketball corruption, which then led him to transferring to South Carolina. The plan was for Bowen to sit out until January 2019 and then play for the Gamecocks, however the NCAA ruled that he would have to sit out another semester on top of that. After that decision, Bowen headed to Australia to play for the Sydney Kings, which is a competitive professional league with multiple players that have spent time in the NBA. He averaged 6.3 points, and 3.2 rebounds in 15 minutes of action. It should be noted that most young Americans that head overseas to start their pro career do no receive significant playing time as they transition to competing against grown men. Nonetheless, he showed flashes in his limited minutes of having a solid overall offensive skill set. Primarily playing in a catch and shoot role, he does have the ability to drive to the basket and create a shot. In the fast break he is dangerous where he can slip out to hit a three pointer, or finish at the rim. It has not yet been determined whether playing against professional competition overseas versus spending a year in college is a positive to your skill set, but Bowen showed that he can compete at the professional level as a 19/20 year old.
The limited minutes will cause some teams to shy away, however the glimpses will give other teams hope he can be an impact player. Players who have been starting in college have much more film than what is available on Bowen who would be in his sophomore season. However, as a McDonald’s all american in high school, NBA teams have no doubt been following him for the last couple of years, so they should have a good idea of what Bowen brings to the table. His perimeter defense will need some coaching but all of the skills are there with Bowen possessing good length to with solid athleticism. He could struggle with quicker players on the wing getting by him, although his speed and quickness are not below average.
This play shows his ability to finish at the rim:
We see you, @20tugs!
— FOX Basketball (@FoxBasketball) October 21, 2018
Brian Bowen II may have just caught a body 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/zkYK4iEtl7
This clip gives you an idea of his offensive skill set:
Brian Bowen had a big impact in his first game in the @NBL
— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) October 13, 2018
13 points for @20tugs pic.twitter.com/8qBLdBplcg
Bowen is seen as a mid to late second round pick, with going undrafted as a possibility. His ceiling as a professional is a starter level wing, possibly coming off of the bench in a sixth man role, being a solid scorer and perimeter defender. The worst case scenario is that he is unable to be an efficient scorer and is on a roster in a limited role, or heads back overseas after getting his shot at the NBA.
