News and Progress

MU basketball player strives on the court and in the classroom

Laurence Bowers has a well-rounded approach to his Mizzou experience

Oct. 29, 2009

On the hardwood, Laurence Bowers’ biggest strength is his versatility. At 6 feet 8 and 205 pounds, the Mizzou Men’s Basketball lean forward saw limited minutes on the court last year. But as he develops, he’s sure to present problems for opponents underneath the basket, in transition and above the rim.

A William A. Stauffer Athletic Scholarship recipient, he’s talented academically, too. The sophomore earned a 3.27 GPA in 2008–09. He is considering a degree in communication or nursing.

“Your future isn’t certain with basketball,” says Bowers of Memphis, Tenn. “You always need something to fall back on, so I take pride in the classroom.”

Bowers’ family has influenced his career and academic choices. His uncle, Arlyn Bowers, played for Mizzou head basketball Coach Mike Anderson at the University of Arkansas, where Anderson was an assistant under Razorback coaching legend Nolan Richardson.

Bowers also has two uncles who are fire chiefs and emergency medical technicians. They’ve let Bowers know that a nursing degree goes a long way toward increasing your salary as an EMT.

He’s also the team artist, and he enjoys sketching, mimicking Van Gogh’s paintings or creating graffiti — on paper.

Bowers has realistic goals on the court and in the classroom for the upcoming season. He knows that as his playing time increases, demands on his time will increase, too. But Bowers’ well-rounded approach to life has served him well, and his positive attitude can only help an MU basketball program with high expectations.

“I believe we have other players that can step up this year, even though we lost some guys,” Bowers says. “We’re going to be young, but we’re going to be scrappy and thirsty. Once you have a taste of the [NCAA] tournament, you always want more.”