Ron Rowan
Height6 ft
Height in4
Weight lb200
Birth dateApril 23, 1962 (age 64)
Birth placeNew Brighton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
NationalityAmerican / Irish
High schoolBeaver Falls
(Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania)
College
Draft year1986
Draft round3
Draft pick67
Draft teamPhiladelphia 76ers
Career start1986
Career end2001
Career number11
Years 11986
Team 1Springfield Fame
Years 21986–1987
Team 2Topeka Sizzlers
Team 3Portland Trail Blazers
Years 41987–1988
Team 4Topeka Sizzlers
Years 51988
Team 5Miami Tropics
Years 61988–1989
Team 6Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets
Years 71989
Team 7Hitachi Venezia
Years 81989–1992
Team 8Kleenex Pistoia
Years 91992–1993
Team 9Yoga Napoli
Years 101993–1994
Team 10Tonno Auriga Trapani
Years 111994
Team 11Meta System Reggio Emilia
Years 121995
Team 12Baloncesto León
Years 131995
Team 13Il Menestrello Modena
Years 141995–1996
Team 14Chicago Rockers
Years 151997
Team 15Fuenlabrada
Years 161997–1998
Team 16PAOK
Years 171998–1999
Team 17Polti Cantù
Years 181999–2000
Team 18Telit Trieste
Years 192000–2001
Team 19Montepaschi Siena
Highlights

Ronald Lewis Rowan (born April 23, 1962) is a retired American-Irish basketball player. Rowan, a 6'5" 200 lb small forward, played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame and St. John's University.

High school and college career

Born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, Rowan starred at Beaver Falls (Pennsylvania) High School, averaging nearly 26 points per game as a senior. In February 1981, he committed to play for the University of Notre Dame, then coached by Digger Phelps. In January 1983, Phelps suspended Rowan after learning that Rowan was planning to transfer to Penn State. When Penn State coach Dick Harter left Penn State, Rowan was released from his commitment and later transferred to St. John's University.

In his first season at St. John's, Rowan played in 28 games alongside Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, Willie Glass, and Bill Wennington, as the team went 31–4.

As a senior during the 1985–86 season at St. John's, Rowan averaged 14 points per game. Along with Jackson, Walter Berry, and Shelton Jones, Rowan helped St. John's to a 31–5 record. Rowan currently ranks among St. John's all-time top 10 free-throw percentage leaders (.871).

Professional career

He was selected in the third round of the 1986 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but was cut from the team during training camp.[1] He then played in the Continental Basketball Association, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1987 while a member of the Topeka (Kansas) Sizzlers, where he averaged 18.8 points in 44 games.

In March 1987, he signed a 10-day contract[2] with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 1.7 points in seven games.

In 1989, Rowan moved to Italy where he played 11 seasons (5 in A1 division). He changed teams almost every year except when he played three seasons in Kleenex Pistoia (1989–1992), where he scored 3,767 points in 117 matches.

Personal life

Rowan's son Maverick Rowan played college basketball for NC State.[3]

Career statistics

NBA

Source[4]

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Portland | 7 || 0 || 2.3 || .444 || 1.000 || .750 || .1 || .1 || .6 || .0 || 1.7

References

  1. ^ Blazers Sign Rowan, published Mar. 17, 1987
  2. ^ 1987 NBA Transactions
  3. ^ Bloom, Elizabeth (January 19, 2016). "Former Pitt recruit Maverick Rowan ready for 'Zoo-ish' homecoming". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  4. ^ "Ron Rowan NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 12 April 2026.