Bruce Bowen's Jersey to be Retired by the San Antonio Spurs

Bruce Bowen, Jr., 3-time NBA champion all with the San Antonio Spurs, will have his #12 jersey officially retired by the San Antonio Spurs on March 21. Bowen is probably the least known member of the "Every Other Year Dynasty", but well deserving of the honor, given his scrappy defense and notoriety for being a player you love to have on your team, but hate going against.


Bruce's incredibly long story from the bottom of the trash heap to Spurs legend after the break.

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Bowen was born in Merced, California where he had a problematic childhood growing up with a mother than he claims did drugs and even once sold their TV to pay for her habit, as well as an alcoholic father. Escaping his dysfunctional family with basketball, Bowen was good enough to get a scholarship to attend Cal State Fullerton where he averaged 11.4 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a small forward in 4 years of playing.


He declared himself eligible for the 1993 NBA Draft, but went undrafted and appeared to be headed to the long road of journeyman and eventual "success" in European leagues (this was long before the advent of international superstars like Dirk Nowitzki and the Gasol brothers). Bowen spent the next 5 years bouncing around various French teams and spending 1 year in the Continental Basketball Association, before finally being signed to a 10-day contract by the Miami Heat, where he only played 1 game, for 1 minute, and registered 1 block.


Bowen later signed with the Boston Celtics, appearing in 61 games, 9 as a starter in his first full year as a player in the NBA. He averaged 5.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, and 1.43 spg in 21.4 minutes per game, shooting .409 from the field, .339 from the 3-point line, and .623 in free throws. His second year was much more disappointing however, averaging far less than his first year and playing far less. Bowen signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, but was then traded to the Chicago Bulls and immediately waived. The Miami Heat picked Bowen up off waivers, although Bowen continued to play ineffectively. The Heat kept him on the team despite that, hoping he could return to his numbers from his first full year with Boston.


In his 2nd year with the Heat, Bowen played all 82 regular season games for the first time, averaging 7.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, and 1.01 spg, playing 32.7 minutes per game. Bowen logged more minutes, points, and 3-pointers made in that season than in his first 4 combined. More than that, Bowen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team for the first of 3 consecutive years.


In the offseason, Bowen signed with the San Antonio Spurs and would eventually be named their starting SF alongside PF Tim Duncan and PG Tony Parker, where they would win 3 NBA championships together, and earned Bowen 5 consecutive nods to the NBA all-Defensive First Team. Bowen was notoriously fined multiple times as a player for playing downright dirty, kicking players when they were on the ground and starting fights with opponents he was guarding. Despite the dirty player label, most analysts agreed that the Spurs were better because of Bowen's style of play. In his final season with the Spurs, Bowen was demoted to backup SF, although his offensive production remained consistent. In the offseason, Bowen was traded to the Bucks along with other players in exchange for Richard Jefferson. Bowen was released by the Bucks 1 month later and then retired 2 months after that.


Bowen now works as an analyst for ESPN, noteworthy for always wearing bow-ties. Truly, Bruce Bowen has come a long way from the streets of Merced to being honored among other Spurs legends like George Gervin and David Robinson. His retired jersey also sets a precedent that his fellow championship teammates Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan will eventually have their jerseys retired as well.