Eugene McDowell facts for kids

Eugene McDowell (born December 31, 1963 – died August 24, 1995) was an American professional basketball player. He was a strong player who mostly played as a center. Eugene was considered one of the best young players in high school in 1981.

He played college basketball for the Florida Gators for four years. In 1985, he was picked in the 3rd round of the 1985 NBA Draft. However, he never played in the NBA. Instead, he had a 7-year career playing professional basketball in Europe (Italy, Spain, and Turkey) and in the CBA. Eugene McDowell passed away in 1995 due to an enlarged heart. In 2009, he was honored by being inducted into the SEC Hall of Fame.

Eugene McDowell's High School Basketball Journey

Eugene McDowell was born in Cross City, Florida. When he was born, doctors found his leg bones were too soft. They thought he would always need braces to walk. But Eugene grew stronger and learned to move without them. By age 15, he was already a good basketball player.

He went to Dixie County High School. In his junior and senior years, he was chosen as a first-team all-state player. Many scouts thought he was the best player in Florida. In his senior year, he missed 8 games because of a foot injury. Even so, he averaged 26 points, 20 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game.

His great senior season earned him a spot on the Parade All-America Third Team. He was also named a McDonald's All-American. In the 1981 McDonald's game in Wichita, Kansas, he scored 8 points. He also played in another all-star game called the Capital Classic, where he scored 4 points.

College Basketball Career at Florida

Many colleges wanted Eugene McDowell to play for them, including Auburn and Florida State. In March 1981, he decided to play for the Florida Gators. Coach Norm Sloan believed Eugene would be a great player. He thought Eugene could score a lot of points close to the basket.

At Florida, Eugene wore jersey number 40. He decided to study broadcasting. Coach Sloan made Eugene the starting center from his first year. He played in 27 games, averaging over 33 minutes per game. He finished his first season with 9.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He led his team in rebounds and blocks. The Florida team had a tough season, finishing last in their conference.

Eugene's second year in college was one of his best. He scored a career-high 40 points in a game against Biscayne in December 1982. He also made 13 out of 14 shots in a game against Mississippi State. This was one of the best shooting performances in his conference's history. He led the conference in field goal percentage that year. He ended the season averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. He was chosen for the All-SEC third team.

In his third year, Eugene's scoring went down a bit to 12.4 points per game. But he was still the best rebounder on his team, averaging 9.2 rebounds. He was again selected for the All-SEC third team. The team did much better this year, finishing third in the conference. In his final college year, Eugene had his best numbers for rebounds (9.8) and assists (3.1). He played the most minutes per game on his team. At the end of the season, he was named to the All-SEC first team. He also received an honorable mention as an All-American.

Eugene McDowell holds a Florida record with 43 career double-doubles. A double-double means getting double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds. He was also the second player in Florida's history to get over 1,000 rebounds. He started all 117 games he played. He scored a total of 1,565 points and grabbed 1,063 rebounds. He also had 150 blocks. His career-highs of 40 points and 21 rebounds are still records at the O'Connell Center.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Basketball Career

After college, Eugene McDowell was eligible for the 1985 NBA Draft. The Milwaukee Bucks chose him as the 68th pick overall. However, he never played an NBA game for them. He moved to Italy and signed with Napoli Basket. He played the 1985–86 season in Italy's top league. He averaged 17.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The Bucks officially released him in July 1986. Eugene then moved to Spain and joined the team CB Zaragoza. His coach chose him for his strong defense, rebounding, and powerful build. In his first season in the Liga ACB, he averaged 15.8 points and 8.7 rebounds. He also averaged 1.2 blocks per game.

His good play caught the attention of Barcelona, one of Spain's best teams. They signed him for the next season. Eugene played with Audie Norris on Barcelona. He averaged 12.2 points and 6.9 rebounds in 25 games. At the end of that season, he helped Barcelona win both the Spanish league title and the King's Cup.

He played part of the 1988–89 season with Cajabilbao. He averaged 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in 25 games. He scored a career-high 32 points during this time. After that, he moved to Turkey. He played for two teams there between 1989 and 1991: Çukurova Sanayi and Paşabahçe.

In 1990, he tried out for the Orlando Magic NBA team, but he was not chosen. Back in the USA, he played two seasons in the CBA. For the Pensacola Tornados, he played 33 games. He averaged 15.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. The next year, he played for the Birmingham Bandits. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 32 games. He retired from basketball in 1992.

Later Life and Passing

After retiring from professional basketball, Eugene McDowell worked in a sportswear store. He passed away on August 24, 1995, due to an enlarged heart.

See also

In Spanish: Eugene McDowell para niños