Laurence Bowers, Senior, Power Forward, Missouri
Overview:
As a freshman, 6-8 forward Laurence Bowers found himself behind some pretty talented players. And the Missouri coaching staff found out that they could use Bowers without too much of a drop off in production. Bowers averaged a mere 6.9 minutes per game, but he averaged 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and proved to be a tough defender. The following year Bowers worked his way into the regular rotation and looked like a completely different player. He was tough on the glass, effective scoring from the basket to the arc and played superb defense.
Bowers continued his impressive production during the 2010-2011 campaign. In 24.8 minutes per game, Bowers averaged 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.8 blocks. On a team that had eight players average over 17 minutes per game and five players average double figures in the scoring column, Bowers efficiency and consistency were impressive.
Final Projection:
At 6-8 and 210 pounds, Bowers is a long and athletic player. Some knee injuries have slowed his progress early during his tenure in Columbia, but those problems are a thing of the past and Bowers is ready for a big senior season. With a new scheme at Missouri, Bowers may not put up the same numbers he did as a junior, but the Memphis, Tennessee native is an explosive athlete who can finish and that should get him drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft.
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