Illinois Basketball Lands Official Visit From Top-10 2027 Guard NaVorro Bowman Jr.

Brad Underwood and Illinois basketball have made it clear this summer that they are willing to swing big on the recruiting trail. The latest example is five-star guard NaVorro Bowman Jr., the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2027 class, who has locked in official visits to Illinois, UConn, Texas and Arizona, according to Sam Kayser of League Ready. 

At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Bowman isn’t necessarily the biggest lead guard Illinois has pursued. But there is a lot to like about the way he plays. He is a scoring-minded point guard who can put pressure on a defense in a number of ways.

Bowman averaged 20.5 points per game during 20 EYBL games while also contributing 3.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals. He is comfortable playing with the ball in his hands and has the handle, change of pace and strength to get downhill against anybody. 

The scouting report on Bowman Jr.

The jumper might be his biggest weapon. Bowman can knock down pull-ups, step-backs and shots off the catch, giving him legitimate three-level scoring ability. He shot 33.1 percent from three on more than six attempts per game in EYBL play, but that number doesn’t fully capture the difficulty of the shots he’s willing to take. 

And there is a toughness to his game. Bowman plays physically, competes defensively and has the athleticism to make plays in transition. He isn’t simply a scorer looking for his own shot, either. He averaged 3.6 assists and has shown he can operate as a lead guard, although his scoring ability is clearly what separates him.

Illinois basketball also locked in an official visit with five-star 2028 guard Brady Pettigrew last week. With Bowman and Pettigrew now on the recruiting calendar, Underwood and his staff are making a pretty loud statement about their renewed emphasis on elite high school talent.

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