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| {{infobox NBA Player | |||
| | image = bruce bowen cropped.jpg | |||
| | name = Bruce Bowen | |||
| | nickname = | |||
| | position = ] | |||
| | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 7 | |||
| | weight_lbs = 200 | |||
| | team = ] | |||
| | nationality = USA | |||
| | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|6|14}} | |||
| | birth_place = {{flagicon|California}} ] | |||
| | college = ] | |||
| | draft = Undrafted | |||
| | draft_year = | |||
| | draft_team = | |||
| | career_start = 1994 | |||
| | career_end = | |||
| | former_teams = Evreux (1994-95)<br/>] (1995-96)<br/>] (1996)<br/>] (1996-97)<br/>] (1996-97)<br/>Miami Heat (1997)<br/>] (1997–1999)<br/>] (1999–2000) <br/>Miami Heat (2000–2001) | |||
| | awards = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Bruce Bowen Jr.''' (b. ] ] in ], ]) is an ] professional ] (NBA) ] player. The 6'7", 200 lbs. Bowen plays ] for the ]. He is an alumni of ] and ] and also a former member of the NBA ], the ] and the ], the ] ] and the French clubs Le Havre, Evreux and ]. Regarded as one of the best defenders in the NBA, Bowen has been elected seven times to the ] First and Second Teams, and was a member of the Spurs teams that won the NBA championships in 2003 and 2005.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://basketball-reference.com/players/b/bowenbr01.html|title=Bruce Bowen Statistics|last=basketball-reference.com|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> In private life, he is an ] against ]. | |||
| ==Early years== | |||
| Bruce Bowen Jr. was born as son of Bruce Bowen Sr. and Dietra Campbell. Bowen had a problematic childhood growing up in Merced, because his mother took drugs and even sold the family TV to feed her habit.<ref name="parents">{{cite web|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20030608/ai_n10879297|title=For Bowen, this is the easy part|last=Weise|first=Mike|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> Bruce Jr. spent his days playing basketball and eventually becoming a star in the local West Fresno ] squad.<ref name="parents"/> After receiving a scholarship, Bowen played four seasons at ], appearing in 101 games, and averaged 11.4 ] and 5.8 ] per game. He averaged 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 ] in 36.6 minutes in 27 games as a senior in 1992-93, paving the way for him to be named to the All-Big West Conference First Team. Bowen ranks 12th on the Titans’ all-time list in career points (1,155) and is seventh all-time in rebounds (559).<ref name="college">{{cite web|url=http://www.usabasketball.com/biosmen/bruce_bowen_bio.html |title=USA Basketball: Bio of Bruce Bowen|last=usabasketball.com|first=|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> | |||
| ==Professional career== | |||
| ===Early struggles (1993-1997)=== | |||
| Bowen made himself eligible for the ], but went undrafted. Instead, he seemed to be destined to become a ]. Between 1994 and 1997, Bowen frequently changed teams, playing for the French teams of Le Havre in 1993-94 and Evreux the following season. In 1995-96 he played in the ] with ]. The following season was interesting: he started off again in France, this time with Besançon, returned to the Lightning in February 1997 and made his NBA debut, being signed to a ten-day contract by the ] the following month that was not extended after the season had ended. His output consisted of 1 game, 1 minute and 1 block.<ref name="nbabio">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/bruce_bowen/bio.html|title=Bruce Bowen Info Page|last=nba.com|first=|date=2007-04-11}}</ref><ref name="college" /> | |||
| ===Getting settled (1997-2001)=== | |||
| In the ], Bowen reappeared in the NBA, being signed by the ]. With the Celtics, Bowen slowly established himself in the NBA. In his first full year as an NBA player, he appeared in 61 games (nine of them as starter) with the Celtics, averaging 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.43 ] in 21.4 minutes per game, shooting .409 ], .339 from ] and .623 from the ].<ref name="nbabio"/> The ] was a bit of a disappointment, as Bowen appeared in only 30 Celtics games, averaging 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game.<ref name="nbabio"/> | |||
| In the ], Bowen signed with the ], traded to the ] and immediately waived, being picked off waivers by the ]. In that season, he appeared in 69 games, averaging 2.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game, and scored in double-figures six times.<ref name="nbabio"/> In the following year, Bowen was retained by the Heat. In that year, he had his breakout season. For the first time in his career, he played in all 82 regular season games, averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.01 steals in 32.7 minutes per game and set new single season career-highs in games, points, rebounds, assists, ], minutes, field goals made and attempted, three-point goals made and attempted and free throws made and attempted.<ref name="nbabio"/> Bowen logged more minutes (2,685 vs. 2,678), scored more points (623 vs. 606) and hit more threes (103 vs. 54) then he had in his first four seasons combined.<ref name="nbabio"/> Especially, Bowen earned himself a reputation as a defensive stopper. For his strong perimeter defense, he was voted into the All-Defensive Second Team.<ref name="stats"/> | |||
| ===San Antonio Spurs (2001-07)=== | |||
| In the ], Bowen was signed by the ]. He joined a championship-caliber team, led by veteran ] ] ], young superstar ] ], and complemented by talented role players like ], ], ] and ]s ] and ]. Bowen established himself as a starter, beginning in 59 of his 59 regular-season games and in all 10 Spurs playoffs games, where they eventually succumbed to the ] in the ]. For his feats, Bowen earned himself his second All-Defensive Second Team nomination.<ref name="nbabio" /> | |||
| In the ], Bowen started in all 82 regular season games for the first time in his career and averaged 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. Again, he was voted into the All-Defensive Second Team and was member of the Spurs team which won the ]. At age 31, the one-time journeyman Bowen had won his first ] as a starter.<ref name="nbabio" /> In the following three seasons, Bowen established a reputation as the best perimeter defender in the NBA, earning three straight All-Defensive First Team elections and ending as runner-up in the ] votings twice, losing to post defender ].<ref name="dpoy05">{{cite web|url=http://basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2005.html#NBA_DPOY|title=Awards Voting for 2004-05|date=2007-04-11}}</ref><ref name="dpoy06">{{cite web|url=http://basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2006.html#NBA_DPOY|title=Awards Voting for 2005-06|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> In 2007 Bowen again finished as the runner-up behind ] for the league's defensive player of the year award.<ref name="dpoy07">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2851168|title=Camby second Nugget to win top defensive award|date=2007-04-27}}</ref> | |||
| Bowen was a member of the Spurs squad which was defeated 2-4 by the ] in the ] Finals of the ], but Bowen and the Spurs bounced back and won the ]. The Spurs could not win back-to-back titles however, and bowed out 3-4 in a grueling seven-game series against the ] in the ]. As of 2007, Bowen remains a valuable role player on the Spurs, having started in every Spurs regular season and playoff game since he became a starter in 2001.<ref name="stats" /> | |||
| ==International career== | |||
| In 2006, Bowen had the offer to join the ], which participated in the ] in ]. At age 35, Bowen was the oldest player who was invited by U.S. coach ], stating the need for defensive role players like Bowen. However, Bowen received only little playing time, despite the injuries of fellow ] and ] ], ] and ]. Although he participated in several training sessions and training camps, Bowen was eventually cut from the team. He expressed his disappointment, and hopes to make the 2008 Olympics squad.<ref name="usteam">{{cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA082006.1C.bowen.33c9ee9.html| title=Bowen disappointed at missing U.S. cut|last=Ludden|first=Johnny|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> | |||
| ==Player profile== | |||
| ] in a game against the ].]] | |||
| The 6'7", 200 lbs Bowen plays the ] position.<ref name="nbabio" /> He has gained a reputation for being one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the NBA, earning himself seven consecutive nominations for the NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams from ]-].<ref name="stats"/> From 2005 to 2007, he was second in voting for the ], beaten only by centers ] (2005 and 2006)<ref name="dpoy05" /><ref name="dpoy06" /> and ] (2007)<ref name="dpoy07">{{cite web|url=http://basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2007.html#NBA_DPOY | title= Awards Voting for 2006-07|date=2007-05-09}}</ref> who are both post defenders. | |||
| Bowen is not known for his offensive production. He is seldomly sought on offense, having never attempted more than 251 field goal attempts in an entire 82-game regular season, and his career averages of 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, and .566 ] are considered mediocre, never earning him nominations for NBA ] or ] First or Second Teams.<ref name="stats"/> His foul shooting, in fact, is poor enough that he has at times been made the target of the so-called "]" defense. However, opposing teams cannot leave Bowen wide open on offense, because he is also a remarkably accurate three-point shooter (.388 career average on 1,700+ attempts).<ref name="stats"/> Bowen is also known for his durability. He has now played 434 consecutive games since 2002, as of ], ], making him the "Iron Man" of the NBA.<ref name="ironman">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0612/gallery.nba.mostunderpaid/content.5.html | title= NBA's Most Underpaid Players|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> | |||
| Over the years however, Bowen has gained a reputation for not only being a tough and effective, but also a dirty defender--even earning the nickname "Bruce Lee Bowen".<ref name="dirt">{{cite web| last=Burns | first=Marty | title= Is Bruce Bowen a Dirty Player? | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/marty_burns/11/15/bowen.reputation/index.html |date=2007-04-11}}</ref> He has drawn much ire from many of his one-on-one opponents, particularly NBA All-Star guards ], ] and ] who have accused him of stepping under them during their ].<ref name="dirt" /> | |||
| He was fined $10,000 by the NBA for kicking ] in the back after both had fallen down. <ref name="kick">{{cite web | title= Stoudemire calls Bowen, Ginobili ‘dirty’ players | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18601043 | date=2007-05-10}}</ref> ] forward-center ] also accused Bowen of kicking his leg during a 2007 NBA Playoffs game, but no official action by the NBA was taken against Bowen.<ref>{{cite web| last= | first=| title= Stoudemire says Bowen tried to injure him in Game 2 | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2866789 |date=2007-05-11}}</ref> | |||
| ==Personal life== | |||
| Bowen is the son of Bruce Bowen Sr. and Dietra Campbell. He remembers having a problematic childhood, plagued by his father's drug addiction. Today, Bowen has cut many relationships to his parents and several relatives, instead looking up to his childhood friend Quinn Crozier and a ] couple which he regards as his adoptive parents.<ref name="parents">{{cite web|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20030608/ai_n10879297|title=For Bowen, this is the easy part|last=Weise|first=Mike|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> Bowen is married to Yardley Barbon, and the couple has one son, Ojani, who was born on ], ].<ref name="nbabio">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/bruce_bowen/bio.html|title=Bruce Bowen Info Page|last=nba.com|first=|date=2007-04-11}}</ref> When not standing on the hardwood, he is an ambassador against child obesity, and runs his own "GET FIT with Bruce and Buddy" program for healthy nutrition and daily sports acitivies for children. He is also a fan of the ] and runs the Bruce Bowen ], an organization set-up to provide scholarships, tuitions and to help those less fortunate. In addition, he is working on his college degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton, and wants to become a teacher after his NBA career.<ref name="nbabio" /> | |||
| ==Footnotes== | |||
| <references/> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| * - Official site | |||
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| {{San Antonio Spurs 2002-03 NBA champions}} | |||
| {{San Antonio Spurs 2004-05 NBA champions}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Bruce}} | |||
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Revision as of 05:06, 17 May 2007
Likes it up the butt