Brian Bowen, SF, Sydney Kings (NBL)
2018-2019 statistics: 6.3 PTS, 3.2 REB, 0.6 AST
If Brian Bowen looks familiar to LA Clippers fans, there’s probably good reason why. Both Bowen and Andrew Bogut were playing for Australian pro team Sydney Kings when they squared off against the Clippers in their first preseason game this past season.
Bowen had a rough outing in that matchup, recording just three points and six rebounds in 19 minutes of play. However, the young wing has plenty of potential and could be someone the Clippers look to add in this year’s draft.
Standing 6-7 and weighing in around 200 pounds, Bowen has the size to be an effective swingman in today’s NBA. He’s a talented scorer with the ability to connect from all over the floor, even though he shot around 34 percent from three-point range in the NBL.
Perhaps most impressive about Bowen that separates him from the rest of the draft pool is his professional experience. He played in all 30 games for the Kings this season in a league that’s slowly becoming one of the world’s most competitive. Because of his smooth transition into it, it’s not unreasonable to think that he may have an easier time finding his way in the NBA than other prospects that are fresh out of college.
If it wasn’t for a college scandal, Bowen would likely already be in the NBA, too. A former five-star recruit, Bowen committed to play at Louisville in 2017, but was soon deemed ineligible to perform as he allegedly accepted payments to enroll at the university.
After transferring to South Carolina, Bowen was forced to sit out until the 2019 season but declared for the 2018 NBA Draft before ever playing a college game. Like others before him, he eventually withdrew and signed on to play in the NBL.
Bowen is currently projected to go in the 50-60 range, meaning the LA Clippers could snag him with either of their second-round selections.