5-Star SF Brian Bowen Commits to Louisville over Arizona, Michigan State

Brian Bowen's stock spiked as he flourished at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, meaning the Louisville Cardinals nabbed one of the biggest perimeter prizes in the class of 2017. The 5-star swingman ended the recruiting process with a formal announcement regarding his college plans on Saturday. 

"

Happy To Announce My Commitment To The Ville ‼️Let's get ittttt⚫️#L1C4 pic.twitter.com/ybLxFQTgZ2

— Brian Bowen II  (@20tugs) June 3, 2017"

Bowen's decision comes as something of a surprise after he initially narrowed his final six schools to Creighton, North Carolina State, UCLA, Arizona, Michigan State and Texas last September. 

At 6'7" and 175 pounds with a 6'9" wingspan, Bowen isn't an overwhelming presence from an athletic standpoint. That said, he is a gifted scorer who has an innate feel for the game with the ball in his hands. 

According to Scout.com's official evaluation, "Bowen has a versatile scoring attack that allows him to score it by driving the ball from wing, make jump shots and even score it some from the block."

Thanks to those qualities, Bowen established himself as the 18th-ranked player overall and fifth-ranked small forward among all 2017 recruits, per Scout. 

For the Cardinals, Bowen represents another major addition to a recruiting class that already ranked among the nation's best. 

Not only will Bowen arrive on campus ready to provide an injection of scoring from the perimeter, but he also will join 5-star big man Malik Williams and 4-star studs Darius Perry and Jordan Nwora to comprise a dynamic foursome that should allow the Cardinals to remain competitive with ACC powers like North Carolina and Duke.  

And based on his current skill set, Bowen shouldn't have an issue carving out a role in due time. That said, he will need to bulk up if he hopes to score at high rates below the free-throw line against more physically imposing college defenders.  

But if Bowen can add some muscle to his frame and develop a more reliable outside stroke as his evolution continues, he could become a matchup nightmare in short order. 

Recruit information courtesy of Scout.com.