Defensive master Bruce Bowen ranks his 5 most challenging defensive assignments
As one of the best perimeter defenders in history, Bruce Bowen faced some of the most potent offensive gunners in the NBA. Bowen ranked his five most challenging defensive assignments. Some of them are not surprising, while one of them will catch fans off guard.
Bruce Bowen’s Top 5
In an interview with ESPN in 2018, the former San Antonio Spurs guard shared his top five most challenging defensive assignments:
2. Kobe Bryant
3. LeBron James
4. Michael Redd
5. Tracy McGrady
Bowen actually faced Jordan at two different points in his career. One was when he was in his final two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, while the other was during the GOAT’s stint with the Washington Wizards.
Meanwhile, Bowen had several tough battles with Kobe in the 2000s. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Spurs were two of the best Western teams then. Whenever they faced each other in the regular season or the playoffs, it was automatic that Bowen would match up with the Black Mamba.
Bowen was assigned to LeBron during the latter’s early years, and even then, the forward was already a tough cover. It’s not surprising that McGrady is on Bowen’s list as T-Mac is easily one of the best offensive players in history, with two scoring crowns in his resume.
Redd had a unique shooting form
It’s surprising to see Michael Redd’s name in there, more so that Bowen put him above McGrady. After all, Redd only peaked for a few years in the NBA and was most known as a lethal shooter.
However, upon a quick review of his highlights, particularly against the Spurs, Redd was just like Kobe and McGrady. They were all three-level scorers who could explode on any given night. Bowen never got a chance to explain why Redd was such a tough cover. Maybe it's because Redd’s shot looked so effortless and quick. He didn’t jump as high as McGrady or Bryant in his shot. He just slung it right over your head.
Redd’s shooting prowess was so singular that he was included in the 2008 USA Redeem Team that snagged the gold at the Beijing Olympics. The man played under 10 minutes per game but made the most of it. He created ample space for his teammates to operate when he was not draining threes. He truly is one of the most underrated players in NBA history. It was nice of Bowen to give him the credit he deserves.
