On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd. The lottery took place on August 20th and the draft is scheduled to take place on November 18th. We will spend the upcoming days interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel concludes our coverage by chatting with Jeff Dowtin about being a good PG and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
You were born/raised in Maryland: what made you choose Rhode Island? I grew up in Upper Marlboro, and there were a few other people from the area who had went up to Rhode Island such as Stanford Robinson/David Cox. It was a great fit for me.
You played 2 years for Dan Hurley and 2 years for David Cox: what is the biggest difference between your 2 coaches? Their style of coaching. Coach Hurley is a lot more energetic/hyper and in your face, while Coach Cox is a lot more laid back/chill.
In February 2018 after missing your only FT attempt in a 3-PT loss at St. Bonaventure as a sophomore you returned to campus at 3AM, went straight to the gym, and practiced FTs for the next several hours: how exhausted were you during your 9AM class that morning, and how did it feel to make 11-12 FTs during your next game a few days later (a 2-PT OT win at La Salle)? That is a true story. I spent at least 3 hours in the gym that morning and then slept in the locker room before heading to class. It was all worth it in the end: I just had to put in some extra work.
You finished that year by leading the conference with 189 AST: what is the secret to being a good PG? Just protecting the ball is the main part: you want more AST than TO. The 2nd part is to get your teammates involved and have a feel for the game and find them in spots where they are comfortable scoring from.
Last January the NCAA suspended you for 1 game because you had played in a charity game the previous summer: now that you are no longer in college, how do you really feel about the NCAA?! I am a basketball junkie and just love playing. I was invited to a charity game and just went there to have fun. I did not agree with the NCAA’s decision: as long as you are not taking any benefits I think that you should be able to participate.
You were named to the A-10 All-Academic Team during each of the past 3 years: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is easier for me to perform on the court when there are no distractions off the court, so as long as I am going to class and turning in my assignments then I can focus on helping my team win.
You were scheduled to play in the A-10 tourney last March before learning that the NCAA tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? I was definitely hurt/distraught: I wanted to go out with a bang during my senior year. However, you have to think about the health/safety of everyone so I feel that they did make the right decision.
Another player hoping to get drafted is your former high school teammate Anthony Cowan Jr., who you have known since you were 10 years old: what was he like back in the day, and do you think that we will see him in the NBA? Anthony is a cool dude: we played together for several years in high school. He is a great PG and 1 of the fastest guys I ever played with so I hope that he makes it.
What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It has been challenging my whole life to be a Black man in the US. We are constantly fighting for change/equality and it has definitely taken a toll on everyone. It has been hard to fight the status quo but we will continue to fight.
What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean the world to me and show that my hard work has paid off. If it does not happen it does not mean that it is the end of the road: I just have to stay humble and will continue to work hard.