
What is Sam Bowie’s Net Worth and Career Earnings?
Sam Bowie, a retired American basketball player, has a net worth of $5 million. He is known for being drafted one position ahead of Michael Jordan. Standing at 7’1″ and weighing 235 pounds, he played as a center. Bowie earned a total of almost $18 million in salary over ten seasons in the NBA. However, Michael Jordan’s career earnings, including endorsements, exceed $1 billion, and his net worth today is $2.2 billion.
Early Life and High School Career
Samuel Paul Bowie was born on March 17, 1961, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to Cathy and Ben Bowie, who was 6′ 10″ and played for the Harlem Magicians for six seasons. He attended Lebanon High School where he played basketball for the Cedars and became a highly recruited prospect. During his junior year, the team lost in the state finals to Schenley High School 51-50. Bowie was named National Player of the Year for 1979 and one of the top high school centers.
College Career
Sam Bowie went on to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky where he averaged 12 points and eight rebounds as a rookie. His sophomore season, he increased those numbers to 17.5 points and nine rebounds per game. He missed the entire 1981-82 season due to injury but returned the next year and was selected to the Associated Press second-team All-American team. As a senior, he earned a spot on the cover of “Sports Illustrated.” Sam Bowie had his No. 31 jersey retired by the Kentucky Wildcats in 2002, and in 2005 he was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.
Sam Bowie’s NBA Career
In 1984, Sam Bowie was selected second overall in the NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, behind Hakeem Olajuwon and ahead of Michael Jordan. He played 76 games in his rookie season, averaging 10 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team. However, he suffered a broken left tibia during his second season, leading to recurring leg and foot injuries throughout the rest of his career. Despite his struggles, Bowie played for 10 years with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, and Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He shot 45.2% from the field and 30.2% from three-point range.
Despite his successful rookie season, Bowie was named the worst draft pick in the history of North American professional sports by ESPN and the biggest draft bust in NBA history by Sports Illustrated.
Sam Bowie’s NBA Salary
During his NBA career, Sam Bowie earned a total of $17.8 million in salary. In his last year in the league, he earned $4.8 million while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Marriage and Post-Basketball Career
Sam Bowie married Stephanie in April 2018 in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. He has been married twice and has three grown children.
After retiring from basketball, Bowie worked as a color commentator for Kentucky Basketball. He also pursued his passion for harness racing by owning and training horses at The Red Mile in Lexington.
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