Better Know A Future Badger: 2020 guard Lorne Bowman

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin coaching staff signed an impressive group of talent in the 2020 recruiting class. With six prospects expected to arrive at UW in June, BadgerBlitz.com checked in with each player to get their thoughts before getting settled on campus.

Lorne Bowman was the first prospect in the 2020 class to commit to Wisconsin. The Detroit, Mich., native was MLive.com's Metro Detroit player of the year after averaging 25.2 points, 6.2 assists and six rebounds per game as a senior.

Bowman spoke with BadgerBlitz.com about his future in Madison.

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Question: Obviously your high school career just ended, but how much are you looking forward to getting on campus with your new teammates and officially becoming a Badger?

Answer: “I’m definitely looking forward to it. I think all the guys are looking forward to getting on campus and getting to know each other. I am really excited.”

Q: You had plenty of chances to go elsewhere and play with a full scholarship. What made Wisconsin stand apart from the rest of the pack?

A: “Definitely the coaching staff and the time and effort they put into recruiting me. They did a lot of background checks on me and just took the time to really get to know me and my family. They also came harder at me than any other school did. I wanted to go where I was wanted."

Q: How was the recruiting process for you? Did you like talking to all of these college coaches or did it get kind of tiring after a while?

A: “I would say kinda both. Anytime you get recruited by high Division 1 colleges and get to go to school for free it’s definitely a blessing. But it does have some wear. Traveling to different schools all the time and talking to coaches can be a hassle. Overall, though, it was a good experience.”

Q: And then when you finally ended your recruitment and committed to Wisconsin how did it feel? Was there a sense of relief?

A: “Yeah, for sure. Knowing that I could fully focus on my last two seasons at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, it was a really good thing.”

Q: Wisconsin's 2020 recruiting class has a chance to be pretty special. How excited are you for the future of this group?

A: “I’m really excited. This is one of the highest-ranked recruiting classes Wisconsin has got in a while. I think we all bring a different skillset. We bring different things on the court and we are all great guys off the court. I am really excited to see our chemistry grown.”

Q: Wisconsin's program is trending in the right direction. Coming off a winning season and then having two great recruiting classes. What do you think this team's potential is in the next couple of years?

A: “Definitely making deep runs and a national championship. I think that is the goal every year. We want to we national titles and Big Ten titles. I feel like this class (2020) and the class after that (2021) has a lot of talent and a lot of depth. We are going to bring in something special that Wisconsin fans have not seen in a while.”

Q: Do you have any specific personal goals for your first season on campus?

A: “I just want to win. Whatever I can do to come in and contribute. I just want to win at all costs, that’s what I am about.”

Q: What is your main motivation as a basketball player? What pushes you to work as hard as you do?

A: “People. Knowing other people are just as talented as me, or even more talented. If I am not working, that means that somebody else is. My competitive nature to be the best is what has always driven me to keep working at my game.”

Q: Is there a certain player that you try to model your game after? Is there any NBA player that you really like watching?

A: “I don’t try to model my game after anybody, but I like watching a lot of Bradley Beal. Me and him have some of the same skills. That would be one big guy. Or D’Angelo Russell. One of those two guys.”

Q: How has the quarantine period been for you? How have you been able to stay on top of your game?

A: "Quarantine has been tough for everybody. This virus has affected so many people. But I have just been working on my body and trying to get stronger because I know going into the Big Ten, guys are going to be more physical. That’s really what I have been mainly doing."

"We are ecstatic to have Lorne join our Badger family," Gard said in a release. "He's the ultimate competitor, both on the court and in the classroom, and we can't wait to begin working with him. It was evident early on that Lorne is exactly what we look for and he's only continued to improve. Lorne plays at his own pace, always under control, giving his team whatever it needs in the right moments with a skillset that can turn from scoring guard to playmaker in an instant. He has a great ability to get the ball where it needs to be and can also create shots with his tremendous pull-up game. Lorne displays natural leadership, both by his extreme work ethic and also through his communication on and off the court. Lorne and his family are a pleasure to be around and represent everything that being a Badger is about."