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In a move that isn’t terribly surprising but is nonetheless very disappointing, South Carolina transfer forward and former five-star recruit Brian Bowen will fully declare for the NBA Draft after the NCAA failed to make a decision on his college eligibility by the deadline.
South Carolina forward and former Louisville signee Brian Bowen is expected to remain in the NBA Draft after being informed by the NCAA that he will have to sit next season (at a minimum), source told ESPN. Final ruling hasn’t even been made by NCAA, and could miss even more time
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) May 30, 2018
As Bowen was entangled with the FBI’s probe into college basketball corruption, the NCAA likely wanted to punt on the issue and let the feds sort it out — meaning, at minimum, Bowen would have to miss the 2018-19 season. This is a tough blow for him, since he wasn’t able to make an informed decision about his future and also hasn’t had a chance to really perform in front of scouts.
Bowen is between a rock and a hard place. Feel bad for the kid — needed multiple years of college. Expect him to get G League opportunities if he wants them. https://t.co/Q6SxiPGzV3
— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) May 30, 2018
It’s also a tough blow for the Gamecocks, who are in desperate need of a talent infusion after struggling last season. I’ll admit I wasn’t really expecting Bowen to ever suit up for South Carolina, given how much heat the NCAA and the sport are currently taking, but it’s still a shame this transpired the way it did.
Here’s what Bowen had to say:
Best of luck to him, and as usual, thanks for nothing, NCAA.