Atlanta Hawks Draft Flashback: 1999 NBA Draft

Mar 28, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jason Terry (3) points at fans in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Bucks defeated the Hornets 118-108. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jason Terry (3) points at fans in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Bucks defeated the Hornets 118-108. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
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17th Overall Pick

With the 17th selection in the ’99 Draft, the Hawks selected Cal Bowdler, a forward out of Old Dominion.

In his senior season, Bowdler averaged 14.7 points, 10 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game for the 25-9 Monarchs. Even after an impressive final college season and a series of impressive pre-draft workouts, Bowdler was oblivious to where he would be selected in the 1999 Draft.

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He was linked to teams picking in the Hawks’ range, but the Hawks had seen enough to make Bowdler theirs. The Hawks’ frontcourt was held down by the likes of Mutombo, Alan Henderson, Grant Long, and Tyrone Corbin, so any big brought in through the draft would not be under heavy pressure to make an instant impact.

In his rookie season, Bowdler played in 46 games and averaged 2.7 points per game in spot minutes. His sophomore season did not come with much improvement, though his scoring output rose to 3.2. That number ended up being a career-high, as his third and final season saw Bowdler average 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds over 52 games and a career-high 11.2 minutes per game. He bowed out of the league after three seasons, scoring a total of 424 points in his career. In comparison, Terry scored 3780 points over his first three seasons.

Bowdler’s name does sit in NBA record books for a rather infamous reason. He is the only player in NBA history to accumulate seven fouls over the course of a game. Against the Trail Blazers, Bowdler played 15 minutes in a 36-point blowout. Even with the score being as lopsided as it was, Bowdler played a physical brand of basketball never seen before. The scorekeeper miscounted his fouls, and when he committed his sixth foul, he was not ejected from the game. Rather, he was still listed as only committing five fouls, given an extra foul, which he went on to commit later in the game.