Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report series, we are going to take a look at what each 2020 Badger signee will bring to Madison this fall and beyond.
According to both Rivals and 247sports, Lorne Bowman is a three-star prospect. The point guard out of Detroit, Michigan is also ranked as a top-5 player in the state. Bowman chose Wisconsin over offers from Buffalo, Iowa, and Nebraska among others. His St Mary’s Prep squad went 21-1, and finished the year number one in the state of Michigan according to MaxPreps. Bowman’s high school teammate Julian Roper is a Wisconsin class of 2021 target who fans should be watching out for.
Lorne Bowman in one word: Bowman is a crafty point guard. The 6-2, 180 point guard doesn’t jump out at you on film as someone with overpowering speed or athleticism. Instead, he has excellent footwork that opens up a ton on the offensive end.
Offense: Bowman relies on excellent footwork to get where he needs to go on the floor. He has the speed to beat his defender, and the point guard’s handle is tight. In film from this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, the Michigan product was under control when he got in the paint, and finished with solid floaters over shot blockers. His hesitation dribble is nasty, and was one of the main moves he used to create space. When given space, Bowman can certainly knock down open jumpers with relative consistency, but has room to improve. In nine games at the EYBL, the 6-2 guard shot 31% from three. With only 42 attempts from deep at the Nike EYBL, the sample size was small, but nonetheless Bowman has room to grow as a shooter.
As a passer, the St. Mary’s star made solid reads in the pick-and-roll to find open bigs at the rim or get to the cup himself. He certainly is not a turnover prone point guard, as he plays under control at his own pace.
Defense: Bowman will come into Madison this fall with excellent strength for his size. I don’t see him getting bullied by anybody in the size and physicality departments at the next level. Staying in front of lightning-quick guards could be an issue in the Big Ten, but expect Greg Gard and the coaching staff to teach him the Wisconsin way on defense.
Overall: Bowman certainly has the ability, especially as a true ball handler that Wisconsin needs desperately, to contribute off the bench next year. Minutes will not be easy to come by as a freshman on such a deep roster, but look for him to potentially be an important piece off the bench next season.