American college basketball player Markquis Morris Nowell, a Kansas State Wildcat of the Big 12 Conference member, was born on December 25, 1999. He once represented the Little Rock Trojans. With 19 assists against Michigan State in the 2023 Sweet Sixteen, he holds the Div I NCAA Tournament single-game assist record.
Markquis Nowell’s Height
According to his reported height, Nowell is five inches shorter than any other Kansas State player who has accumulated minutes this season at 5 feet 8 inches. Nowell is the fastest active NBA player in comparison.
Nowell only earned one Division I offer following his high school career, partly due to his height. The native of Harlem accepted the offer, relocated from New York to Arkansas, and spent three seasons playing for Little Rock before earning a transfer to Kansas State and his way into a major conference.
Nowell shows that heart counts more than height in his fifth and final season at the collegiate level. He leads a Kansas State squad that has surpassed all expectations by averaging 17.1 points and 7.8 assists per game.
The Wildcats are still one of the feel-good tales of the current college basketball season thanks to players like 5-8 Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, who suffered a potentially fatal fall to return to the game.
Markquis Nowell’s Age
Markquis Nowell, who is 23 years old, was born on December 25, 1999.
Nowell's effort leads Kansas State to the Elite Eight
Although he has been excellent the entire season, Nowell's performance in the Sweet 16 was the best. The 23-year-old finished with 20 points, a record-breaking 19 assists in the NCAA Tournament, five steals, and three rebounds. Each of those 19 assists was necessary for Kansas State to win.
With his ability to attack the basket and decide when to build for himself and when to play make for others, Nowell displayed artistic skill. During the contest, he was a soothing presence and didn't hesitate to make 3-pointers from far away.
Given that Nowell had to be taken off the floor after injuring his ankle early in the second half, it was even more impressive. Until he returned and appeared to skip a beat barely, it appeared as though his night had come to an end.
Nowell's game-winning steal and subsequent basket on the other end as time ran out secured the victory.
After the win, third-seeded Kansas State in the East is now in the Final Eight, where they will play either No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic (33-3) or No. 4 seed Tennessee (25-10) on Saturday.
Does Nowell have a chance to get selected in the NBA Draft?
It seems strange to believe that a 5-foot-8 guard like Markquis Nowell might attract much attention when a 7-foot-2 generational superstar like Victor Wembanyama is the clear favourite to be picked with the No. 1 overall choice in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Being short does not permanently exclude Nowell from getting picked. The Memphis Grizzlies' Kennedy Chandler is only 5 feet 11 inches tall. Guard McKinley Wright of the Dallas Mavericks is just 5 feet 11 inches tall, although very few NBA players are under 6 feet.
Isaiah Thomas is the most recent example of a little player succeeding in the NBA. Thomas, the last choice in the 2011 NBA Draft and a 5-foot-9 player, was a two-time All-Star.
Nowell's age, not stature, maybe the more significant problem regarding his selection chances. Nowell is 23 years old and is far older than most draught picks that NBA GMs are interested in.
Markquis Nowell will undoubtedly draw some attention and might fall as far as the second pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Yet, the most likely outcome is that Nowell will receive a look in the Summer League and possibly find a way to sign with a team before the 2023–24 season starts.
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