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Bruce Bowen, a former CBA & NBA teammate of SportsEdTV’s Mark Strickland, joined us to talk about how he became one of the most feared defenders of his time. Bowen, an eight-time all-NBA Defensive teams selection, speaks on how defense played a role in his career starting all the way back in the 70s and how it helped him solidify his place in the NBA.
SportsEdTV: Does the cliche, “when nothing else is working for a player, play defense,” apply to your career?
Bruce Bowen: The thing I tell kids this all the time. You have to be able to score the basketball in order to get to the NBA. So what happens is you have these kids in high school right now saying things like, “I'm going to be a lockdown defender like you.” I'm like, no, man, put that ball in the hole. And if you can guard others, then that's where it really starts to begin. Because I was a scorer in college, Europe, CBA, and then I got to Miami. I had to become a role player.
And that's the thing that so many guys don't understand about the game right now is that, you know, sometimes if you're not touted as what what a coach is looking for, if you don't have that behind you, then you really have to figure it out real quick. You have to figure out how can I impact the game when I'm on the floor or how can I impact this team where they feel that I'm a necessity.
When it comes to the cliche, you know, it depends, I guess. It is interesting because if you say that, then you limit somebody. I think there are opportunities because nobody wants to be known as a defender because it is the craziness of the game. And this is where I differ from others. I remember guys saying stuff during the course of my career like, “all he is is a defender,” but they are saying it from the bench. I'm in the game. See, I'm in the game. But you on the bench, you talk about what I am now, even as a defender. Now, basketball is not like football. You got your special teams, you got your defense, you got your offense. Well, this all in one in basketball and I can still make shots when I'm on the floor. You can't make shots sitting on the bench!
