American · Fort Worth, Texas · Born 19 March 1943 · Died 1984-12-11American professional basketball center who played in the NBA from 1966-1975, best known for winning the 1970 NBA Championship with the New York Knicks.
Nathan "Nate the Snake" Bowman was born on 19 March 1943 in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended Kirkpatrick High School before playing college basketball at Wichita State University, earning first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honours in 1964. The Cincinnati Royals selected Bowman seventh overall in the 1965 NBA Draft, and he went on to play for the Chicago Bulls before joining the New York Knicks in 1967, where he served as a valuable backup centre during one of the most successful periods in franchise history. Bowman won an NBA championship with the Knicks in 1970, contributing depth and rebounding to a team built around stars including Willis Reed and Walt Frazier, before finishing his career with the Buffalo Braves, Pittsburgh Condors, and Wilkes-Barre Barons across both the NBA and ABA. Bowman retired in 1973 with career totals of 745 points and 878 rebounds across parts of seven professional seasons, and died on 11 December 1984, at age 41, in New York City, remembered as a reliable role player on one of basketball's classic championship teams.
NBA center who won championship with New York Knicks
How They Played
Traditional center, strong rebounder and interior defender
Lasting Impact
Role player on historic 1970 Knicks championship team
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (1970)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | 1966–1968 | — |
| New York Knicks | 1968–1972 | — |
| Buffalo Braves | 1972–1973 | — |
| Pittsburgh Condors | 1973–1974 | — |
American Athletes