Butler Basketball: 2017-18 player grades for the Bulldogs

In a more pronounced role this season, Nate Fowler improved mostly on the defensive end of the floor. Although he is still relatively weak defensively, he showed off better strength and interior chops this past season. At 6’11”, Fowler always had the size to become at least a serviceable defender and it looks like he hit that pinnacle this season. With another year left at Hinkle, Fowler will be the primary big man and his defense will once again need to take a step up.

On the offensive end, though, there should be no worries about Fowler. Once again he was in a bit of a limited role but he was one of the most efficient big men in the nation. He finished on 60.7% of his shots from the field, including hitting a few 3-point shots. Even though he was just 8-for-24 (33.3%) from deep on the year, he stretches the floor well enough to cause the defense to spread out.

“Big Nate” had a solid season overall but nothing really jumped out from his play. The hope is that he can evolve into a double-digit scorer inside for the Bulldogs as a senior. With another offseason under his belt and extended minutes, this is definitely possible. For reference, he averaged 13.6 points per 40 minutes this past season.