Bryce McGowens

Bryce Alexander McGowens, born on November 8, 2002, is an esteemed American professional basketball player who presently represents the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). McGowens began his propulsion to the limelight through his college basketball days playing for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This biography elucidates his journey over the years.

From his early school days, McGowens imbued a deep flair for basketball. He attended Wren High School in Piedmont, South Carolina, where he played basketball with thrilling enthusiasm. His relentless pursuit of proficiency in his sophomore year earned him an average of 26.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and three assists per game. His earnest efforts were rewarded when he was named the Region 1-4A Player of the Year, after which he guided his team to an honorable runner-up finish in the Class 4A Upper State.

In his junior season, McGowens marked a major upswing in his high school career. He set a school record by scoring 65 points in a second-round victory during the Class 4A playoffs, emblazoning his name in the annals of his school’s history. Throughout this season, he averaged 25.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, and even led his team to the Class 4A Upper State championship game, once again clinching the title of Region 1-4A Player of the Year.

For his senior year, McGowens relocated to Legacy Early College positioned in Greenville, South Carolina. In this transition period, he continued to uphold his sky-scraping performance, recording 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, and clinched the notable title of South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. His brazen plays attracted the attention of the Jordan Brand Classic roster selectors and he won a much-deserved spot.

McGowens’ stellar showings did not go unnoticed by basketball recruiters. 247Sports and Rivals pegged him as a five-star recruit, while ESPN viewed him as a four-star recruit. On February 10, 2020, this young sportsman publicized his commitment to play college basketball for Florida State. Nevertheless, a change in his decision led to him decommitting from the program on October 8, 2020. Later, on November 13, 2020, he committed to Nebraska. This commitment didn’t just transpose McGowens from Florida to Nebraska; it ingrained his name as the highest-ranked recruit in the program’s history and Nebraska’s first-ever five-star recruit.

This high school star kept his sparkle undimmed in college too. He started his college career with an impressive score of 25 points in a narrow 75-74 loss to Western Illinois on November 9, 2021. On March 1, 2022, McGowens led Nebraska to a 78-70 win against Ohio State with a stellar performance of 26 points. However, he encountered a setback when a hand injury forced him to miss the subsequent game against Wisconsin. Throughout his freshman year, McGowens averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, earning a spot in the Third Team All-Big Ten and the All-Freshman Team. Soon after, on March 21, 2022, McGowens declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing any remaining college eligibility.

In the 2022 NBA draft, Minnesota Timberwolves picked him as the 40th overall. Nevertheless, he was soon traded to the Charlotte Hornets. On July 2, 2022, the Hornets officially announced signing McGowens to a two-way contract. As per the contract, he was to share his time between the Hornets and their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. On February 26, 2023, the Charlotte Hornets converted McGowens’ contract into a multi-year deal.

McGowens’ basketball proclivity burgeoned in his own family. His older brother, Trey, also forged a college basketball career, first at Pittsburgh before transferring to Nebraska. His mother, Pam, was a basketball player at Western Carolina, and his father, Bobby, was a basketball and football athlete at South Carolina State, following his football stint at Clemson. Both parents were adept in the sports realm and had experience coaching high school basketball. As such, it comes as little surprise that McGowens has emerged as the distinct sports personality he is today.