McDowell was a formidable force on the early-80s squads that brought UF to national prominence, enjoying moderate success overseas afterward
Eugene McDowell (1981-85) – Center
Eugene McDowell was a formidable force on head coach Norm Sloan’s early-80s squad that helped bring the program to national prominence, while also enjoying a moderately successful career overseas after college.
Originally from Cross City, Fla., McDowell was born with a bone disorder that required the use of leg braces; by the time he was 15, he was able to play basketball competitively without them. Attending Dixie County High School, where he was a first-team all-state selection in both his junior and senior year, he averaged 26 points, 20 rebounds and 4 blocks per game his senior campaign, earning him a selection on the Parade All-America Third Team as well as a McDonald’s All-American honor.
Recruited by Auburn, Florida State, Minnesota, Oregon and South Alabama, McDowell ultimately picked his in-state institution, playing under Sloan with the confidence of the accomplished coach. He had a solid freshman year, averaging 9.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game patroling the Gators’ paint.
His sophomore season in 1982-83, however, was a true tour de force, putting up his college career-best numbers with 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on a Florida team that went only 13-18 against a remarkably tough strength of schedule. That year proved to be his high-water mark, though he still averaged double-digit points and increased his rebound and assists average over his final two seasons.
Over the course of McDowell’s four years in Gainesville, he averaged 14.4 points with 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game, earning All-SEC Third Team honors for his sophomore and junior seasons and All-SEC First-Team his senior year. His 43 career double-doubles are a program record and he was the second player in the program history to reach 1,000 career rebounds.
The accomplished center’s collegiate performance was good enough to be automatically eligible for the infamous 1985 NBA Draft, in which he was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 21st pick of the 3rd round (68th overall). However, he never played a single minute in the NBA but instead opted to head to Europe to find greener pastures.
McDowell’s first stop was in Italy, where he played for Napoli Basket of the Italian top league, averaging 17.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while still under contract with the Bucks. After Milwaukee officially released him, he hopped over to Spain where he spent two-plus seasons playing between three different Iberian clubs while putting up similar statistics. After being cut by CB Cajabilbao, McDowell played two seasons at the other end of the Mediterranean in Turkey from 1989 and 1991 with Çukurova Sanayi and Paşabahçe, respectively.
He returned to Florida for a last stab at the NBA in 1990, trying out for the Orlando Magic but failing to make the final roster cut. McDowell headed back to Turkey for one more campaign before coming home to North America, playing in the CBA with the Pensacola Tornadoes and the Birmingham Bandits, respectively, for two final seasons. After a strong showing in Pensacola and a much more mediocre stat line in Birmingham, the veteran center hung up his shoes in 1992.
McDowell passed away in 1995 due to natural causes, though his legacy still lives on with the Eugene McDowell Memorial Basketball Endowment. He was inducted in the SEC Hall of Fame in 2009.
