Brian Bowen, SG/SF
School: N/A
Age: 19
Height: 6-7, 195 (measured)
ESPN draft ranking: 97th
Perhaps no prospect is benefiting more from the 2018 pre-draft process than Brian Bowen, who was among the players to work out for the Hawks on Wednesday.
Bowen's NCAA eligibility has been in limbo since his father was implicated in an alleged pay-to-play scheme that involved Louisville and Adidas representatives. Bowen eventually enrolled at South Carolina, where he'd hope to be eligible to play next season as a transfer, but he still hasn't heard from the NCAA on his case.
The pros could be Bowen’s only basketball option, so he decided to test the draft waters without hiring an agent. Team workouts are a chance for Bowen to showcase his skills for NBA coaches and executives, and he got an additional boost when the NBA invited him to next week’s combine.
“They haven’t seen me play for a whole year, so I just want to show of how much better I’ve gotten, how much stronger I’ve gotten,” Bowen said. “Show my whole versatility, whether it’s off ball screens (or the dribble). Show my high I.Q.”
Bowen isn’t the only top prospect trying to get drafted this year without playing college or pro ball. Anfernee Simons declared for the draft after one post-graduate season at IMG Academy and ended his NCAA eligibility by hiring an agent.
But unlike Bowen, Simons was a top-10 recruit and has a chance to be drafted in the first round. Simons made his choice with the belief that he’s a good bet to be in the NBA next season, whereas Bowen is participating in the pre-draft process in large part because the NBA is a fallback option in case he can’t play at South Carolina.
Bowen is hoping to hear from the NCAA by the May 30 deadline to withdraw from draft consideration but that may not happen.
“I would love to have a couple options, whether to go pro or back to school,” he said. “I really don’t know the timeline. It kind of is (tough).”
Bowen’s combine invitation is a sign that NBA teams want to get a closer look at him in competitive situations against other prospects. Coaches and scouts can use those sessions, plus Bowen’s strong performance at last year’s Jordan Brand games, to evaluate him in game situations.
The DraftExpress reports from those games said Bowen shot the ball well after he'd been a poor shooter in high school. Bowen was shooting catch-and-shoot and pull-up jumpers in the portion of Wednesday's workouts open to media, and his motion looked very smooth and balanced.
Right now, it appears Bowen is a fringe NBA prospect. Even if he doesn’t stay in the draft he may end up having to go pro, anyway, if the NCAA doesn’t clear him but at least he’s getting another shot to show NBA decision-makers his potential.
“The biggest thing is feedback from coaches, GM’s,” Bowen said. “Whatever they think about me helps my mindset. And I have to think about how I feel I perform, how I think I fit in and whether I think I’m ready.”
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