A son of one of the San Francisco 49ers’ most decorated defenders of the past two decades is headed to one of college basketball’s biggest programs.
Five-star point guard NaVorro Bowman Jr., the son of former 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman, has committed to Dan Hurley and UConn, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on September 10.
Bowman Jr. attends Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, and Schefter identified him as the No. 12 overall player in ESPN’s 2027 rankings. His decision extends one of the more interesting sports bloodlines connected to the 49ers, but in an entirely different sport.
Bowman Jr., son of former 49ers standout linebacker NaVorro Bowman, is the highest-ranked player to
NaVorro Bowman Jr. Emerges as Elite Basketball Prospect
The younger Bowman has established his own identity far away from the position that made his father famous.
A 6-foot-3 guard, Bowman averaged 22.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game as a junior, according to The Daily Hoosier. He plays his travel basketball for Team Why Not on the Nike EYBL circuit.
His stock has continued climbing nationally. CT Insider reported Bowman as the No. 11 overall player and No. 2 combo guard in the 247Sports composite at the time of his commitment.
And UConn apparently did not need long to close.
Bowman visited Storrs over Labor Day weekend with his father and had additional visits scheduled during September, including Illinois and Arizona, according to CT Insider. Instead, he committed to Hurley shortly after seeing UConn.
That makes the decision considerably more than a famous football surname popping up in college basketball recruiting.
UConn landed one of the premier guards in the 2027 class before Bowman completed the rest of a recruiting itinerary that included other prominent programs.
Bowman Became One of the Faces of the 49ers’ Defense
The name carries considerably different memories in the Bay Area.
The 49ers selected the elder Bowman in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft out of Penn State. He ultimately earned four first-team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl selections while becoming one of the central figures on a defense that helped San Francisco reach three consecutive NFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XLVII.
Bowman and Patrick Willis gave the 49ers one of the NFL’s defining linebacker combinations of that era.
His signature moment came in the final regular-season game at Candlestick Park in December 2013. With the Atlanta Falcons threatening late, Bowman intercepted Matt Ryan and returned the ball 89 yards for a touchdown to secure a 49ers victory and playoff berth.
The play became known as the “Pick at the Stick.”
Bowman eventually finished his career with 877 tackles in the regular season and playoffs combined, according to the 49ers, and returned to the organization to retire as a member of the franchise in 2019.
“I feel like the 49ers are my home,” Bowman said when announcing his retirement with the franchise in 2019.
Now another Bowman is generating national attention, only with a basketball in his hands.
And for 49ers fans who remember No. 53 roaming the middle of the defense at Candlestick Park, seeing the Bowman name attached to a five-star recruit — and one bound for Hurley’s UConn program — is another reminder of just how much time has passed since that era.
49ers All-Pro’s 5-Star Son Commits to Dan Hurley, UConn