Five-star NaVorro Bowman Jr., son of ex-NFL star, selects UConn basketball team

Five-star cornerback NaVorro Bowman Jr., son of former NFL standout NaVorro Bowman, has committed to UConn, he told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday, making the Huskies the top commit in the 2027 class.

Bowman Jr. took an official visit to UCLA last weekend; His trip to Storrs was expected to be the first of four September visits that also included trips to Illinois, Texas and Arizona. But Dan Hurley and the Huskies were able to secure his commitment before he could make his remaining visits, forcing other programs to pivot elsewhere.

Bowman Jr., ranked No. 12 in the SC Next 100 in the Class of 2027, has been a star at grassroots and international competition over the past few months. He was one of the leading scorers in the Nike EYBL Championship during the spring and summer, averaging 20.5 points in 20 games with Why Not, ranking fifth among all players with 10 or more games played. Bowman contributed 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting just over 33% from 3-point range.

He also helped Team USA win a gold medal at the FIBA ​​Under-17 Men’s Basketball World Championship in Turkey in July, averaging 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Bowman Jr., who is a junior at Notre Dame (Calif.) High School, is just the third five-star 2027 prospect to announce his commitment at this point in the cycle and the first top-15 recruit to make his decision. He’s Hurley and UConn’s first commitment in 2027, but he immediately gives the Huskies a player they can build their recruiting class around.

They should have one of college basketball’s elite backcourts this season in Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins, but there’s a good chance neither player will be in Storrs for the 2027-28 season. Program stalwart Solo Ball will return after a redshirt season, while newcomer Junior Country is generating plenty of buzz from the start. These two should team up with Bowman Jr. to form a talented group on the perimeter.

Bowman’s father spent eight seasons as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers before finishing his career with the Oakland Raiders, earning four All-Pro honors and playing in three Pro Bowls. He stepped down as the Los Angeles Chargers’ linebackers coach after last season to be more involved with his son.

“His son is an elite player,” Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said at the time. “He wants to be a father and help him get into college and choose a college.”