NOP

2025-26 Season

BRYCE MCGOWENS

New Orleans Pelicans | Guard | 6-6
Bryce McGowens
8.1 PPG
2.1 RPG
1.5 APG
20.9 MPG
-3.1 Impact

McGowens produces at an below average rate for a 21-minute workload.

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NET IMPACT BREAKDOWN
Every stat, every credit, every cost — per game average
-3.1
Scoring +7.1
Points 8.1 PPG = +5.5
Shot Making above expected FG% = +1.6
Creation +0.7
Creation 1.5 AST/g = +0.7
Turnovers -1.0
Turnovers 0.4/g = -1.0
Defense -0.4
Defense 0.6 STL, 0.2 BLK = -0.4
Hustle & Effort +1.1
Rebounds 2.1 RPG = +1.1
Raw Impact +7.5
Baseline (game-average expected) −10.6
Net Impact
-3.1
39th pctl vs Guards

PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology

SKILL DNA

Percentile rank vs 245 Guards with 10+ games

Scoring 43th
8.7 PPG
Efficiency 97th
62.9% TS
Playmaking 23th
1.5 APG
Rebounding 28th
2.3 RPG
Defense 36th
+6.2/g
Hustle 41th
+7.9/g
Creation 31th
+2.19/g
Shot Making 41th
+5.90/g
TO Discipline 97th
0.02/min

THE SEASON SO FAR

Bryce McGowens endured a chaotic stretch defined by an ill-fated transition from an opportunistic bench sparkplug to an overmatched starter. When deployed in limited bursts, he actually swung momentum through sheer effort. He generated a +4.3 impact score on 11/22 vs ATL by pairing just nine points with high-energy defensive rotations. However, his eventual promotion to the starting unit exposed glaring flaws that raw counting stats simply could not mask. During a heavy workload on 11/30 vs LAL, McGowens stuffed the box score with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, yet still posted a -0.7 impact. Those impressive offensive numbers were entirely undone by hidden costs like terrible transition defense. The bottom completely fell out on 12/27 vs PHX, where his offensive rhythm flatlined as he forced heavily contested looks early in the clock, resulting in zero points and a catastrophic -18.8 impact score.

Bryce McGowens spent this twenty-game stretch battling a severe case of empty-calorie basketball. Even when the ball actually went through the hoop, hidden costs on the defensive end routinely dragged his overall value into the red. Look no further than his 20-point outburst on 01/07 vs ATL, where a heavy offensive load merely masked a negative -1.1 impact score. Defensive lapses were his ultimate undoing, bottoming out completely on 03/01 vs LAC. He managed just 6 points in that contest, but a disastrous habit of consistently losing his man off the ball cratered his impact to a staggering -14.3. Ironically, his most effective shifts occurred when he stopped forcing the issue and focused on the margins. On 02/24 vs GSW, McGowens scored only 7 points but generated a highly impressive +6.9 impact simply by taking high-value shots and playing perfectly within the offensive flow. To become a reliable rotation piece, he must realize that defensive focus and smart spacing matter far more than raw shot volume.

IMPACT TIMELINE

Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.

PATTERNS

Inconsistent. McGowens has clear good-night/bad-night splits, with scoring swinging ~6 points between games. You're never quite sure which version shows up.

Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 44% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.

Defensive impact is minimal for a 21-minute player. Not generating enough contests, rim protection, or forced turnovers to move the needle.

Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 2 games. Longest cold streak: 7 games.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Based on 51 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.

ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM

His shooting stats against each primary defender this season

A. Edwards 64.8 poss
FG% 50.0%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.08
PTS 5
D. Booker 43.7 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.0
PTS 0
D. DiVincenzo 36.1 poss
FG% 100.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.19
PTS 7
L. Kennard 32.1 poss
FG% 50.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.19
PTS 6
D. Avdija 31.8 poss
FG% 40.0%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.25
PTS 8
D. Bane 26.5 poss
FG% 100.0%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.11
PTS 3
J. Miller 25.4 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.08
PTS 2
L. Dončić 20.7 poss
FG% 50.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.19
PTS 4
Z. Risacher 20.7 poss
FG% 66.7%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.19
PTS 4
K. Middleton 20.5 poss
FG% 66.7%
3P% 50.0%
PPP 0.24
PTS 5

ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED

How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.

A. Edwards 81.2 poss
FG% 61.5%
3P% 40.0%
PPP 0.25
PTS 20
D. Booker 43.4 poss
FG% 58.3%
3P% 60.0%
PPP 0.46
PTS 20
D. Avdija 40.1 poss
FG% 54.5%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.37
PTS 15
I. Collier 23.1 poss
FG% 28.6%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.3
PTS 7
L. Dončić 22.3 poss
FG% 37.5%
3P% 25.0%
PPP 0.31
PTS 7
A. Bailey 21.7 poss
FG% 16.7%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.14
PTS 3
R. Rollins 21.3 poss
FG% 100.0%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.38
PTS 8
D. Daniels 21.0 poss
FG% 33.3%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.1
PTS 2
J. Miller 20.9 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.05
PTS 1
D. DiVincenzo 20.4 poss
FG% 25.0%
3P% 50.0%
PPP 0.15
PTS 3

SEASON STATS

42
Games
8.1
PPG
2.1
RPG
1.5
APG
0.6
SPG
0.2
BPG
48.1
FG%
40.9
3P%
77.9
FT%
20.9
MPG

GAME LOG

42 games played