Ky Bowman is still trying to prove he belongs in the NBA.
The former Boston College men’s basketball star is part of the San Antonio Spurs’ Summer League roster this year after playing with the Spurs’ G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, this past season.
Austin acquired Bowman’s rights from the Agua Caliente Clippers, the Los Angeles Clippers’ G League affiliate, in February. After recovering from ACL surgery, Bowman appeared in 12 games for Austin, averaging 17.0 minutes, 4.6 points, 3.5 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the field.
Bowman was picked up by the Los Angeles Clippers in late November 2020 after he was waived by the Golden State Warriors.
The fiery 6-foot-1 point guard began to make his mark in the NBA with the Warriors in 2019-20. Once he went undrafted, he signed a two-way deal with Golden State. Bowman was sprung into action for the injury-riddled Warriors and ended up playing 45 games for Steve Kerr’s team that season.
He became somewhat of a small-scale fan favorite for an uncharacteristically bottom-feeding Warriors team. Bowman logged 22.6 minutes, 7.4 points, 2.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Bowman registered 10 or more points 13 times, maxing out at 24 points in loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. November was a particularly strong month for the undrafted rookie. Bowman even had a five-game stretch where he averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds.
Bowman also played 12 games with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors in 2019-20, however, he rounded out his time with Golden State having shot 41.7% from the field, including 30.8% from downtown.
His defense was elevated as well. In a relatively limited role, minutes wise, compared to the one he had at BC, Bowman was able to preserve more energy for that side of the floor. As of Sept. 3 that season, he ranked third in the NBA in lowest field goal percentage (32.8%) allowed as the closest defender to 2020 All-Stars in the half court.
Unfortunately for Bowman, that season—which ended in October because of the pandemic—is often forgotten, especially when it comes to the Warriors, who have since recovered with a fourth NBA title in the last eight years.
Over Bowman’s illustrious three-year BC career, he recorded 1,661 points, 627 rebounds and 382 assists. He was named an ACC All-Freshman (2016-17) after stealing the starting point guard spot from Ty Graves. Then he was an ACC Honorable Mention in 2017-18 and an All-ACC Second Teamer in 2018-19.
Bowman posted seven 30-plus point games, and one 40-point game, as an Eagle.
He and Jerome Robinson—a 2018 NBA lottery pick of the Clippers—led BC to its first winning season since 2010-11 in 2017-18. The Eagles were bounced in the first round of the NIT that year.
Bowman’s first Summer League game with the Spurs is Friday at 5 p.m.