Prospect Update: Bowen Born (2020)

It's been an eventful year for Norwalk guard Bowen Born.

After catapulting himself to stardom as a sophomore with the Warriors, he played well enough this offseason with the Iowa Barnstormers to earn a pair of Division I offers.

At 5-foot-10, Born has never been the biggest guy on the floor, but he's usually the most skilled. And he's been working lately on not only honing his craft, but on adding some muscle and strength, too.

“The one thing I've been really trying to work on is just my size, in terms of weight lifting and things like that. Obviously, I'm not the biggest guy, so I've definitely been trying to put a lot of work in in the weight room,” said Born, Iowa's 3rd-rankled 2020.

“Basketball-wise, I've been working a lot on my mid-range, right hand, left hand ball-handling and all of that stuff. I'll be playing the one guard this year instead of the two.”

After helping lead Norwalk to the state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena -- where his team suffered a devastating first-round loss to Glenwood -- Born went right into his 16U offseason with what was a new-look Barnstormers unit.

“We obviously had a little bit of a different team this year without Even (Brauns), we were smaller than years past. But, it was overall a really good season,” said Born, who earned offers from Northern Iowa and Drake during his 16U campaign.

“My summer, individually, I thought went really well. I played a lot of the one, compared to last year and sophomore season when I was playing the two a lot.”

Now, the crafty point guard shifts his focus to a junior season with Norwalk, which will again be among the best in Class 3A.  

We at Prep Hoops Iowa have the Warriors slotted in at No. 3 in the Way Too Early Top 10: Class 3A.

“Through summer team camps and workouts I'm really looking forward to starting the season with all of these guys,” said Born. “It'll be a little different with all the new guys, but the way we played together this summer, I just feel like there's a really good connection and chemistry.”

RECRUITMENT

When Northern Iowa offered Bowen Born his first scholarship offer back in the spring, it was a big moment for the 5-foot-10 rising junior guard.

At 5-foot-10, Born doesn't necessarily posses quintessential size for a D1 hoopster. But he's got ample skill, which Northern Iowa liked. The Panthers coaches like his disposition, too. 

Soon after he nabbed the UNI offer, fellow Missouri Valley Conference program Drake offered him. And sometime in the next 12 months, the floodgates could open.

“The UNI offer was great, obviously to get that first offer it means a lot, and to know that they trust in you and they believe in you,” said Born.

“I went up there (Cedar Falls) for an unofficial visit and Coach (Ben) Jacobson told me that he liked the way I carried myself and I bring the right qualities. And they obviously liked the way that I played, so then they just decided to offer me.”

Born then went to Drake for an unofficial visit, the Bulldogs' staff offered him that day.

“I went down to Drake on August 1 and it was kind of the same deal, we walked around the campus a little bit. They were renovating and putting in a new court, so they were telling me about that,” said Born.

He added: “To have two schools that have offered me going into my junior year I'm super appreciative. And I really like the way they've handled themselves and the way they've treated me through this process. It's definitely a cool deal.”

With still two years left of high school ball, and what will be an important 17U offseason next spring and summer, Born has some time left to let his recruitment materialize.

“Heading into my junior season, it becomes a little bit more prevalent and it's in the back of your head, especially with all of the people that are committing right now,” he said. “But I'm just taking it slow, I probably won't decide until this time next year.”

In addition to Northern Iowa and Drake, Born says that Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, UW-Milwaukee, Miami of Ohio, Colorado State, Davidson, Butler and UMKC are in the mix with his recruitment.

“I'm just kind of waiting,” said Born. “I'm going to see what happens, see who offers ultimately before I make a decision.”