Bowen retiring from NBA

[mytespurs]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/56933617.html

Bruce Bowen is retiring today

By Richard Oliver - Express-News

Bruce Bowen has known for some time that this day would come. And now that it’s here, he’s feeling surprisingly calm about it.

The former Spurs great is retiring from the NBA.

“I’m very happy,” Bowen, 38, said this morning. “It hasn’t been difficult. I was content about it and understood it was going to happen.”

At a news conference this afternoon at the Yardley’s Salon and Spa, the business he owns with his wife, Yardley, Bowen will officially hang up his sneakers and move toward a future that will still include ties to basketball.

In addition to working on his local business and charity interests, Bowen had an audition with ESPN earlier this week and will be working on something with Turner Broadcasting later. He may also be doing some broadcasting work on high school games.

He also hopes to continue his advertising work with H-E-B, Hallmark Ins ute and AT&T.

“I’m always going to do something around the game of basketball,” Bowen said.

Though the Spurs will not be signing him to a ceremonial one-day contract or anything or that nature, Bowen said he feels he’s retiring as a Spur.

“Everybody knows, and Pop said the same thing, ‘You’re a Spur,’ ” Bowen said, referring to coach Gregg Popovich.

He spent 12 seasons in the league, including the final eight with the Spurs. Regarded as one of the league’s strongest defenders, Bowen was part of three San Antonio championship teams.

On June 24, he was part of a three-team trade with the Bucks and Pistons that brought Richard Jefferson to San Antonio. After an extended wait, during which Milwaukee tried to ship Bowen to another team, the Bucks released him last month.

Though he is now a free agent, Bowen said he had no plans to move on. He’ll be staying in San Antonio, his adopted home. The Spurs, for their part, had made it clear he wasn’t in their future plans.

“It was just about being able to say, ‘All right, it’s done,’ ” he said.

The added bonus, Bowen said: Being home for his sons, ages 2 and 3.

“(Yardley) enjoys the chance for them to see ‘Papi’ more,” Bowen said.

I wonder if he'll turn up as a guest on the TNT show with Kenny & Charles. Bruce has a great personality; he'd fit right in with that crew. :-)

[Penya]

#12 in the rafters. Thank you, Bruce.

[Morg1411]

You the man, Bruce! Thanks for redefining Defense and helping the Spurs with those les!

[phxspurfan]

Good luck with the rest of your life, Bruce. We will miss you.

[samikeyp]

In a related note, Ray Allen reports that he strained ovary is now healed.


to the last guy to ever wear #12

[DynastySpurs210]

NO!!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING : (

THANKS BRUCE FOR EVERYTHING!

03,05,07


:

[tp2021]

They need to hurry up and announce which game will carry his name up to the rafters so I can buy my damn tickets.

You are still one of the alltime greats to me, Bruce.

[Dr. Gonzo]

The time was right for him. He was a great player. His number better be up in the rafters.

[Spursone]

Bruce,

Thanks for the memories, great player, person, and one of the best defenders of the last 10 years. Class act, good luck in your future endeavors and hope to see your NUMBER RETIRED soon.



The team could not have done without you! 2003 2005 2007

[Libri]

Thank you Bruce!

[EricB]

Early December for the ceremony please...

[poop]

a landmark and sad day in the spurs world

[kace]

Well that sucks, I wonder if he would have retired if he'd have gotten an offer from the Spurs.

IMO, there's no "wonder" to have here. Bruce would certainly have stayed at least one more year if the spurs offered him a contract.


one of my favourite spurs. he will be missed.

[caribbean_spur]

I am sad, but I guess it was bound to happen.

One of my fav spurs.

[Taking it to the Hole]

I am going to miss seeing him frustrate his opponents. No one got into the heads of players better than Bruce. No more corner 3's and last minute defensive heroics. All we can hope is that the Spurs are able to have the same intensity that Bruce brought every day to work. Here is to a great career Bruce!!!

[Spursfan092120]

Despite how he was hated by many fans and players for his style of play, he always seemed like a good guy off the court. The stories I've read of him and when I've heard him speak, he came across as well spoken, intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate. It was probably time. It might have been time the previous two seasons.

Tough player who was easy not to like if you weren't a fan of the Spurs. Good guy.

My wife's family has season tickets next to where Yardley's are. Met him several times. He's a phenomenal person...great great guy...Spurs fan or not.

[ManuTP9]

Thanks for everything Bruce

[baseline bum]

Damn, Richard's got some huge shoes to fill this year. It's going to be so weird watching the Spurs and not seeing Bruce there; almost like when David retired. I can't believe the Spurs didn't bring him back.

[completely deck]

[quote=baseline bum;3667424 almost like when David retired.[/quote]

And yet they kept winning les

[Libri]

Playing defense seems like a lost art nowadays.

[MB20]

I´ve always considered the Spurs to have a "big 4" instead of a "big 3".
Bruce was that important, imo.
Good Luck and Thank you for everything !

[Samurai Jane]

Happy Retirement, Bruce!! We'll miss your "pesky" defense!

[da_suns_fan]

I guess the Spurs can lose their "dirty" label now that Bowen and Horry are gone.

[Mark in Austin]

Damn, Richard's got some huge shoes to fill this year. It's going to be so weird watching the Spurs and not seeing Bruce there; almost like when David retired. I can't believe the Spurs didn't bring him back.

Agreed. I still don't think most fans understand what he meant to the Spurs defensively - he made the system work.

[benefactor]

Cheers Bruce. The first thing that come to mind when we discuss the Spurs championships is usually the Big 3...but the reality of it is the Spurs always had a Big 4.