[2] Bruce Jr. spent his days playing basketball and eventually became a star at local West Fresno Edison High School.

[9] After averaging 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 36.6 minutes in 27 games as a senior in 1992–93, he was named to the All-Big West Conference First Team.

He joined a championship-caliber team, led by veteran Hall-of-Fame center David Robinson and young power forward Tim Duncan, complemented by talented role players like Steve Smith, Malik Rose, Antonio Daniels and point guards Terry Porter and Tony Parker.

For his feats, Bowen earned himself his second All-Defensive Second Team nomination,[9] although some peers and sports analysts accused him of being a "dirty" defender.

In the following three seasons, Bowen established a reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, earning three straight All-Defensive First Team elections and ending as runner-up in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award votings twice, losing to post defender Ben Wallace.

[12] Inside Hoops columnist M.J. Darnell commented: "They're whining because Bruce Bowen has frustrated, upset, hurt or angered them in some way....

[15] Bowen's defensive style failed to help this Spurs squad repeat in the 2004 NBA playoffs, as the team was eventually defeated 4–2 by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

As a testament to his controversial style of play, Bowen picked up a $10,000 NBA fine for kicking Ray Allen in the back during a March 2006 game.

[21] In the 2008 NBA playoffs, Bowen was unable to stop Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who averaged 28.3 points and helped L.A. beat the Spurs in five games.

With influential shooting guard Manu Ginóbili out injured, the Spurs got off to a bad start to the series and eventually lost 4–1 against the Dallas Mavericks, bowing out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2000.

In 2006, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski invited Bowen to join the U.S. national team, which participated in the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Japan.

However, Bowen received little playing time, despite the injuries of fellow swingmen and guards Antawn Jamison, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade.

[3][28] From 2005 to 2007, he was second in voting for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, beaten only by centers Ben Wallace (2005 and 2006)[13][14] and Marcus Camby (2007)[29] who are both post defenders.

He was seldom sought on offense, having never attempted more than 600 field goals in an entire 82-game regular season, and his career averages of 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, and .575 free throw shooting were considered mediocre, never earning him nominations for NBA All-Star or All-NBA First or Second Teams.

However, opposing teams could not leave Bowen wide open on offense, because he was also an accurate three-point shooter (.393 career average on 2,082 attempts), particularly from the corner.

[3] In addition, despite his age Bowen played 500 consecutive games between February 28, 2002, and March 12, 2008, leading Sports Illustrated to name him in 2007 the "Iron Man" of the NBA.

[32] In 2006, he received a college degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton; he had also taken classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

[35] Bowen spent the 2017–18 season as a color analyst for Fox Sports West television broadcasts of the Los Angeles Clippers' games.

He was relieved of his duties after making comments critical of Kawhi Leonard, a free agent and trade target of the Clippers.

[32] Bowen regards Robert and Sandra Thrash, a Los Angeles couple that he met in church during his college years, as his adoptive parents.

[40] In 2006, he received a college degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton; he had also taken classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio.