While retired three-time NBA champion Bruce Bowen didn’t cause troubles for opposing teams offensively in his 12-year career, the San Antonio Spurs legend, though, wreaked havoc defensively and made life miserable for his counterparts.
The six-foot-seven small forward went on to become one of the best perimeter defenders in league history and he has the accolades to back that up – three-straight (2001-2003) All-Defensive Second Team selections and five-straight (2004-2008) First Team honors.
As elite as he was defensively though, it doesn’t mean he didn’t have a hard time defending the best scorers during his career (1997-2009) and Bowen revealed the players who made his life difficult on the defensive end.
“Top five players that are toughest to defend, no. 1 Michael Jordan, no. 2 Kobe Bryant, no. 3 LeBron (James), no. 4 Michael Redd, and no. 5… I think I’d go with Tracy McGrady,” Bowen related to local sports media men Thursday at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
Bowen is here in the country for the NBA Finals viewing parties on Friday (Game One) at the Eastwood City Mall and on June 4 (Game Two) at Glorietta 2 Mall. He will also drop by at the NBA revitalized court in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Engineering on June 2 to help hold a clinic with 40 boys and girls as part of the NBA Cares efforts.
Thus far, Bowen is ‘having a great time’ in town and he’s excited to witness first hand the fanaticism of Filipinos when it comes to the sport of basketball.
“It’s been fantastic. I’m having a great time. I think anytime you get a chance to experience a different culture you have to keep an open mind obviously but I’m thrilled to be here, I’m thrilled about the excitement of Filipinos here that are huge basketball fans,” he said.
“Outside the US, it’s the number one country (Philippines) on the Facebook site as far as following the NBA with 6.7 million on the NBA site then on the personal Facebook you have three million followers on the NBA here so I think when you talk about fan support and people understanding what’s going on, I think it’s tremendous, and the fans are knowledgeable here,” he added.
Bowen also shared his thoughts about the four-straight finals match-up between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleaveland Cavaliers.
Like most people, the defensive specialist believes that the Warriors are going to win the series but he doesn’t think that the Dubs will just sweep the Cavs, though.
“I always go for the team that won before, will win again, until someone takes it from them,” Bowen shared.
“I think you have two teams that can win obviously, I think both teams have to guard certain elements that’s transpiring now. For the Warriors, everyone’s talking about how they’re gonna win it all, just like that. You have to tune that stuff out,” Bowen added.
“On the flipside, you have Cleveland, who takes on the role of ‘us against the world.’ Who’s gonna step up with LeBron James? Is it George Hill, is it Jr Smith? Is it Green? Is it Tristan Thompson? You just never know.”
