Hornets GM Bower Quietly Garners Praise
July 20, 2006
“Quick: Name the Hornets’ general manager. A year ago, he drafted Chris Paul. Last week, he rebuilt the Hornets’ frontcourt, adding Cedric Simmons, Hilton Armstrong and Peja Stojakovic. You’ll remember Jeff Bower’s name next spring, when he wins Executive of the Year honors.” – Sporting News magazine, July 14, 2006
Scan through a list of the NBA’s key player personnel decision-makers, and you will find a virtual “who’s who” in hoops history. In fact, among the league’s top team executives, a vast majority fit into one of two categories.
First, there are the famous former NBA players, such as Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Isiah Thomas and Jerry West, to cite just a few household names. The second group consists of those who were blessed to be the offspring of a prominent basketball player, coach or executive.
On that basis alone, Hornets general manager Jeff Bower is unique. A rarity in the exclusive group of men whose decisions dictate the future of the NBA’s 30 franchises, the Hollidaysburg, Penn., native is neither an ex-pro player, nor a member of a storied hoops family.
A gradual ascent
Bower’s climb to his current GM job is anything but an overnight success story – he had to prove his ability in a multitude of roles and on numerous levels of the game. The 44-year-old’s professional career in basketball began in 1983, when he accepted a restricted-earnings assistant coaching job with the Penn State Nittany Lions men’s basketball team. Before legislation made the practice of restricting pay unconstitutional in 1998, many of those entry-level college coaches earned less than $10,000 per year.
Bower later served as an assistant coach at Marist, a 5,600-student college in upstate New York, before joining the Hornets organization in 1995 as an advance scout. He’s also been a Hornets assistant coach, the team’s director of scouting, assistant general manager and director of player personnel over the past decade.
“If you look at where he’s come from, he’s had basically every job you can have in basketball,” Hornets head coach Byron Scott described. “He’s done a little bit of everything. One thing he is – more than a lot of people in our league – is very appreciative of the opportunity that he has. He doesn’t take it for granted.
“We need more guys like that in our league. I’m not talking about just GMs; I’m talking about players and everyone else. The opportunity we have is not promised tomorrow – and I think Jeff understands that and reflects that in his everyday life.”
“There definitely aren’t many guys in his position in the NBA who at one time made (approximately) $5,000 a year as a college assistant,” said Brian Hagen, Hornets assistant to the general manager. “Or spent all hours of the night awake in a hotel room (as a scout) working on an advance scouting report. He’s basically been a basketball grinder.”
For his part, Bower downplays his humble beginnings in basketball, saying that accepting his first coaching job at Penn State was a common practice for aspiring young coaches in the 1980s.
“At the time, that was how you broke in,” Bower explained. “I looked at it like I was fortunate to get a job at Penn State in that position. I thought it was a great learning opportunity and a great entry for me into college basketball.”
Still, Bower agrees with the notion that starting his career at the less glamorous levels of basketball helped shape his perspective and outlook on working in the NBA today.
“I do appreciate being able to be a part of something like this,” Bower said of his Hornets GM post. “Seeing things from a lot of different angles and levels in the past has helped me. I think, for example, having had to piece together recruiting classes in college, that’s something that helps you when you are constantly looking for the right fit with players.”
The ‘ego-free’ GM
Current Hornets director of basketball communications Scott Hall worked for CBA teams from 1997-2001, and remembers occasionally chatting with Bower at the minor-league games. At the time, Bower was a Hornets scout and periodically traveled to CBA contests to assess the NBA potential of players.
“He never acted like he was doing you a favor by coming to your games, like some of the scouts do,” Hall remembered. “That was one of the reasons he was always one of the most well-liked scouts among people who worked in the CBA. The best part about it is that he has the same demeanor and personality in his role as general manager as he did when he was on the road scouting.”
“In the three years I’ve been with him, he’s always been ego-free and a fun-loving guy,” Byron Scott described. “Everyone who works with him enjoys being around him. He’s got a great sense of humor and is very intelligent.
“Jeff doesn’t care about the limelight. All he cares about is making the team better and doing what’s best for the organization.”
Hagen agrees that Bower is more comfortable in the background, happy to let others take credit for the Hornets’ NBA-best 20-game improvement in 2005-06 and their headline-grabbing moves this summer. It’s an approach that may partly lead to Bower’s unknown status among casual basketball fans. On the other hand, within the hoops industry, Hagen says Bower is one of the most well-known and popular GMs.
“Every guy I run into in the league, whether it’s a scout, coach, college coach, agent – they all know him,” Hagen said of Bower. “Jeff’s not an unknown in basketball circles at all. He probably is unfamiliar to an average fan who hasn’t seen his face, because (the Hornets) haven’t been on national TV that much the last couple years.”
If things go according to plan in 2006-07 and beyond, the Hornets hope those nationally-televised appearances increase significantly. Bower is excited about the significant Hornets roster makeover he’s overseen, highlighted by the signing of Peja Stojakovic, a move that turned heads around the NBA.
“It’s been a great last couple weeks,” Bower said, also referring to a Hornets draft on June 28 that yielded promising big men Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons. “We’ve been fortunate that our plans have come together. We hit the target in every area.”
Although he’s predictably pleased with recent events, Bower chuckles when word is relayed to him that publications such as the Sporting News are already touting him as the 2006-07 Executive of the Year.
“It really doesn’t mean a whole lot,” Bower said of the preseason accolades. “What has taken place in the offseason has created a lot of excitement, but the reality is that what’s important is what happens when training camp starts and you see everything come together.
“I think we’ve added some strong pieces. But it’s all going to be determined during the season.”
“Quick: Name the Hornets’ general manager. A year ago, he drafted Chris Paul. Last week, he rebuilt the Hornets’ frontcourt, adding Cedric Simmons, Hilton Armstrong and Peja Stojakovic. You’ll remember Jeff Bower’s name next spring, when he wins Executive of the Year honors.” – Sporting News magazine, July 14, 2006
Scan through a list of the NBA’s key player personnel decision-makers, and you will find a virtual “who’s who” in hoops history. In fact, among the league’s top team executives, a vast majority fit into one of two categories.
First, there are the famous former NBA players, such as Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Isiah Thomas and Jerry West, to cite just a few household names. The second group consists of those who were blessed to be the offspring of a prominent basketball player, coach or executive.
On that basis alone, Hornets general manager Jeff Bower is unique. A rarity in the exclusive group of men whose decisions dictate the future of the NBA’s 30 franchises, the Hollidaysburg, Penn., native is neither an ex-pro player, nor a member of a storied hoops family.
A gradual ascent
Bower’s climb to his current GM job is anything but an overnight success story – he had to prove his ability in a multitude of roles and on numerous levels of the game. The 44-year-old’s professional career in basketball began in 1983, when he accepted a restricted-earnings assistant coaching job with the Penn State Nittany Lions men’s basketball team. Before legislation made the practice of restricting pay unconstitutional in 1998, many of those entry-level college coaches earned less than $10,000 per year.
Bower later served as an assistant coach at Marist, a 5,600-student college in upstate New York, before joining the Hornets organization in 1995 as an advance scout. He’s also been a Hornets assistant coach, the team’s director of scouting, assistant general manager and director of player personnel over the past decade.
“If you look at where he’s come from, he’s had basically every job you can have in basketball,” Hornets head coach Byron Scott described. “He’s done a little bit of everything. One thing he is – more than a lot of people in our league – is very appreciative of the opportunity that he has. He doesn’t take it for granted.
“We need more guys like that in our league. I’m not talking about just GMs; I’m talking about players and everyone else. The opportunity we have is not promised tomorrow – and I think Jeff understands that and reflects that in his everyday life.”
“There definitely aren’t many guys in his position in the NBA who at one time made (approximately) $5,000 a year as a college assistant,” said Brian Hagen, Hornets assistant to the general manager. “Or spent all hours of the night awake in a hotel room (as a scout) working on an advance scouting report. He’s basically been a basketball grinder.”
For his part, Bower downplays his humble beginnings in basketball, saying that accepting his first coaching job at Penn State was a common practice for aspiring young coaches in the 1980s.
“At the time, that was how you broke in,” Bower explained. “I looked at it like I was fortunate to get a job at Penn State in that position. I thought it was a great learning opportunity and a great entry for me into college basketball.”
Still, Bower agrees with the notion that starting his career at the less glamorous levels of basketball helped shape his perspective and outlook on working in the NBA today.
“I do appreciate being able to be a part of something like this,” Bower said of his Hornets GM post. “Seeing things from a lot of different angles and levels in the past has helped me. I think, for example, having had to piece together recruiting classes in college, that’s something that helps you when you are constantly looking for the right fit with players.”
The ‘ego-free’ GM
Current Hornets director of basketball communications Scott Hall worked for CBA teams from 1997-2001, and remembers occasionally chatting with Bower at the minor-league games. At the time, Bower was a Hornets scout and periodically traveled to CBA contests to assess the NBA potential of players.
“He never acted like he was doing you a favor by coming to your games, like some of the scouts do,” Hall remembered. “That was one of the reasons he was always one of the most well-liked scouts among people who worked in the CBA. The best part about it is that he has the same demeanor and personality in his role as general manager as he did when he was on the road scouting.”
“In the three years I’ve been with him, he’s always been ego-free and a fun-loving guy,” Byron Scott described. “Everyone who works with him enjoys being around him. He’s got a great sense of humor and is very intelligent.
“Jeff doesn’t care about the limelight. All he cares about is making the team better and doing what’s best for the organization.”
Hagen agrees that Bower is more comfortable in the background, happy to let others take credit for the Hornets’ NBA-best 20-game improvement in 2005-06 and their headline-grabbing moves this summer. It’s an approach that may partly lead to Bower’s unknown status among casual basketball fans. On the other hand, within the hoops industry, Hagen says Bower is one of the most well-known and popular GMs.
“Every guy I run into in the league, whether it’s a scout, coach, college coach, agent – they all know him,” Hagen said of Bower. “Jeff’s not an unknown in basketball circles at all. He probably is unfamiliar to an average fan who hasn’t seen his face, because (the Hornets) haven’t been on national TV that much the last couple years.”
If things go according to plan in 2006-07 and beyond, the Hornets hope those nationally-televised appearances increase significantly. Bower is excited about the significant Hornets roster makeover he’s overseen, highlighted by the signing of Peja Stojakovic, a move that turned heads around the NBA.
“It’s been a great last couple weeks,” Bower said, also referring to a Hornets draft on June 28 that yielded promising big men Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons. “We’ve been fortunate that our plans have come together. We hit the target in every area.”
Although he’s predictably pleased with recent events, Bower chuckles when word is relayed to him that publications such as the Sporting News are already touting him as the 2006-07 Executive of the Year.
“It really doesn’t mean a whole lot,” Bower said of the preseason accolades. “What has taken place in the offseason has created a lot of excitement, but the reality is that what’s important is what happens when training camp starts and you see everything come together.
“I think we’ve added some strong pieces. But it’s all going to be determined during the season.”
