“It would be a blessing just to be able to finish with some of the best that have come through the program.”
TOWNE INTERVIEW
Talking Terps
University of Maryland hoops star Anthony Cowan Jr. answers our questions
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By Tom Worgo
aryland senior point guard Anthony Cowan Jr.’s goal of winning a Big Ten title or going on a long NCAA basketball tournament run remains unfulfilled. Instead, early exits have been common.
Cowan will have another shot in March, and expectations are high with Maryland ranked among the best teams in the country. Even so, Cowan will leave a lasting legacy either way. He’s on pace to finish among Maryland’s all-time top-10 scorers. It’s an impressive list that includes Len Bias, Juan Dixon, John Lucas, and Tom McMillen. All four were NBA first-round picks. 22
What’s Up? Eastern Shore | March 2020 | whatsupmag.com
“It would be a blessing just to be able to finish with some of the best that have come through the program,” Cowan says.
Maryland players and it’s definitely an honor to put on a Terps’ uniform.
The 22-year-old declared for the NBA draft in May, but decided to return to school to chase a title and improve his stock for next year’s draft. He’s been nothing but consistent at Maryland. The Bowie resident has averaged in double figures every year and earned second-team AllBig Ten honors last season after averaging 15.6 points and 4.4 assists per game.
Everybody wants to get to the next level and realize their dream by playing in the NBA. I wanted to make sure I leave a lasting and winning legacy at Maryland, so people will remember my name. That’s what I am trying to do right now.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Cowan has started every game in his career and is aiming to become only the second player to do that during head coach Mark Turgeon’s nine years. Turgeon has praised Cowan for his outstanding leadership with Maryland’s youthful roster. We recently talked to Cowan about playing so close to home, his leadership role, and the lofty expectations for the 2020 Terps. What does it mean for you to play at Maryland since you grew up in the area? It means lot. I grew up 15 or 20 minutes away. All my friends and family come to games and see me play. I have been a huge fan of some
Why did you return to school after declaring for the draft?
After you finish your Maryland career, how exciting will it be to play professionally? It will be super exciting. I not only want to continue playing basketball, but also get paid for doing it. That will be a great thing and I will be very fortunate for that. I got a sense of what it’s like. My former teammates and my friends tell me about the good and bad of playing at the next level. Maryland has been ranked in the top-10 this season. Do you and the team feel more pressure to have a breakout season? Yes. I definitely think we invite the pressure. We are a team of competitors, so we want everyone’s best shot. I love the attention. You have to do it while it lasts. You are only going to be a college basketball player one time in your life, so you have to take advantage of it.
