Wisconsin basketball announces the departure of freshman guard Lorne Bowman

Lorne Bowman will continue his career closer to home according to a press release shared by the basketball program.

The University of Wisconsin men's basketball program announced that freshman guard Lorne Bowman has left the team and will pursue his college career somewhere closer to home.

Freshman guard Lorne Bowman II is departing the University of Wisconsin and the men's basketball program and will continue his education and athletic career closer to homehttps://t.co/FXZgDEDgzl

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 9, 2022

The former three-star recruit out of Detroit missed all of 2020 due to personal reasons and was absent for the latter part of last year due to what the team called a non-COVID illness.

Bowman played in 22 games as a reserve guard and averaged just over 10 minutes per contest during his brief career in Madison. Bowman led the Badgers in three-point shooting percentage at 40% during the 2021-2022 season and averaged three points per game.

Head coach Greg Gard had this to say about Bowman in a press release by the Badgers:

"We completely understand and support Lorne's decision to step away from the program and university. We know this is what's best for him currently and also for his future. He has been an inspirational and important part of our team over the last two years and will forever be a Big Ten champion and a Badger. Our entire staff and team think the world of Lo. We intend to stay close with the Bowmans and wish Lo all the best in his future."

Wisconsin now has at least four available scholarships to work with this off-season with the announced departure of Bowman, who joins Matthew Mors and Ben Carlson as young players who left the team in search of a different home following season.

Mors announced his commitment to South Dakota State earlier on Friday, and like Bowman, was looking to move back closer to home.

As a result of the three transfers and the early declaration to the NBA by Johnny Davis, Greg Gard and the coaching staff have been hitting the transfer portal and the 2022 recruiting class for potential additions for the past few weeks.

Regardless, we wish nothing but the best for Bowman and think the move likely benefits both parties based on the up and down nature of the past two years. 

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