Age:
27
Hometown: Pahokee, Fla.
Birthday: Sept. 10, 1984
Height: 6-3
Weight: 191
Position: PG
Experience: 1 year
Draft: Undrafted
College: Virginia Tech
2010-11 Salary: $242,374
2010-11 Season Outlook: Zabian Dowdell was signed as a third point guard to give Goran Dragic a practice sparring partner who can run a team when Steve Nash rests as well as to give the squad an option to run the show when one of their first two point guards are injured.
Dowdell is such a confident guy that he truly believes he belongs out there and thus he can be effective for stretches, particularly at the defensive end where his quickness makes him a real asset. However, the offense sputters at times at his control although he’s a deft passer who can pile up the assists and score when the opportunities are there.
Dowdell desperately wants to prove he belongs in this league after working so hard to get here, so you know he will give his best effort every night. That should make him a nice change of pace point guard when the Suns have injuries or just want to give the opposition a different look, but this team will be in trouble if it relies on him for an extended part of the season.
Biography: Zabian Dowdell didn’t have the most direct path to the NBA. Born in Pahokee, Fla., Dowdell shined at the city’s high school, earning first-team all-state honors both his junior and senior years.
In the collegiate ranks at Virginia Tech, Dowdell was a four-year starter and finished his career in Blacksburg as the seventh-leading scorer in the program’s history. At the conclusion of his senior season, he was named to the ACC’s all-conference team.
After going undrafted in the 2007 NBA Draft, Dowdell took his game overseas for three seasons. He averaged 25 points in his time in Europe. Dowdell finally made his way back to America and spent his 2010 training camp with the Suns before being waived and eventually signing with the Tulsa 66ers. In all his path to the NBA was an arduous journey that involved two stints with the Summer Suns.
Finally his dream came true when the Suns signed Dowdell to two 10-day contracts before locking him down for the remainder of the season on Feb. 5.
Links to ValleyoftheSuns coverage of Dowdell:
Bad run of luck for Zabian Dowdell
Zabian Dowdell hungrier than ever
Zabian Dowdell offseason improvement video
Zabian Dowdell not about to let lockout thwart NBA dream
Zabian Dowdell feels like he belongs in the NBA as he battles to finally live his basketball dream