Education
Ohio State University.
Ohio State University.
He played with three Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame Coach Fred Taylor. He later played in the National Basketball Association for the Chicago Zephyrs and in the American Basketball Association. A 6"1 guard, Nowell was a high school star at Columbus East 1957-1958.
His outside shooting and one-on-one skills were enough to rate him the #2 player in Ohio after Jerry Lucas.
Fielding numerous scholarship offers, Nowell decided to follow Lucas to Ohio State in a historic recruiting class that later also included John Havlicek and Bobby Knight. Starting with fellow sophomores Lucas and Havlicek, Nowell"s shooting was a key element in Ohio State"s run to the 1960 National Collegiate Athletic Association title.
He was named to the 1960 All-Tournament Team. Ohio State"s 1960-1961 team went undefeated until the National Collegiate Athletic Association Final.
Ohio State"s 1961-1962 also reached the National Collegiate Athletic Association Final.
Nowell did participate in the 1960 United States Olympic Trials but was never seriously considered for a spot on the team Only three blacks were named to that team, and more attention was paid to Nowell"s white Ohio State teammates, a factor he considered in his remaining basketball career. Nowell"s shooting ability was such that he could have been a big scorer at another school, a fact that could have led to a bigger pro career.
Instead, he played with or for four future Hall of Famers, went to three straight National Collegiate Athletic Association Finals, winning one in 1960.
All three years, the Ohio State Buckeyes were undefeated at home at Saint John Arena.
