THE FRONT ROW WITH BRUCE BOURQUIN: Friday, Aug. 5, 2016

At The Showcase on the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, I was fortunate enough to run into 12-year NBA veteran Bruce Bowen, who played eight seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and won three championships within five years with them.

So after he was done with his round, naturally he didn’t exactly talk about golf after the nine-hole exhibition.

Tim Duncan retired after this past season after what should be a first-ballot Basketball Hall of Fame career.

In his sixth year as an analyst of the NBA for ESPN, the 45-year-old Bowen shared some quick thoughts on Duncan’s retirement and other news around the league. And he’s one of the 12 former NBA players who graduated from Cal State Fullerton (former Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns forward Cedric Ceballos is the only other memorable one) — trust me, I was a graduate student from 2009 to 2011, watched a few men’s hoops games and their teams were average at best.

“At the end of the day, we can’t play forever,” Bowen said of Duncan retiring after 19 seasons, all with the Spurs. “Except for a year when he was hurt, he was there several years. He was not Kobe Bryant, who wore down with injuries a little bit toward the end.”

Born in the Virgin Islands, the now 40-year-old was a two-time MVP (2002 and 2003) and three-time NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003 and 2005). He’s among the NBA’s all-time leaders with 10.8 rebounds per game (just behind Shaquille O’Neal’s 10.9) and 2.2 blocks per game (just ahead of Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard).

FROM THE 2001-02 to 2008-09 seasons, Bowen played with the 6-foot-11, 250-pound power forward and center. He got to see “The Big Fundamental” up close and personal during practices, games and several playoff games during eight seasons. By the way, Bowen is 6-7, 185 pounds and made it onto the NBA’s All-Defensive Team from 2001 to 2008, including its first team from 2004-08. He was known best for being a shutdown defender, from guarding Kobe Bryant at times to several opponents’ best player.

He retired as a 37-year-old after the 2008-09 season and also played for the Miami Heat and Boston, landing in the NBA after signing a 10-day contract in 1997 with the Miami Heat after five seasons playing for teams from France to Rockford, Ill. to Fort Wayne, Ind.

So back to his well-valued opinions, where he shared his thoughts on All-Star forward Kevin Durant recently signing with the Golden State Warriors, a team (or superteam). To the riches of a formerly horrible team, go the spoils. The Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in last season’s NBA Finals in seven games and went 73-9 in the regular season. The Spurs though, are 12-to-1 odds to win the NBA Finals this upcoming season. They still have aging but still solid point guard Tony Parker, power forward-center LaMarcus Aldridge, plus recently-signed forwards Pau Gasol and David Lee. Plus they still have another future Hall of Famer, Gregg Popovich, as their head coach.

“With Durant, they’ll do very well,” Bowen said. “It’s good for Golden State, but they’ll still have to go out there and win games. San Antonio will figure it out.”

Bowen has had tons of fun sharing the NBA broadcasting stage with professionals like Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, plus sharing his knowledge with several SportsCenter anchors in Bristol, Conn. All with those trademark bow ties.

“It’s fun to stay close to the game” Bowen said.

BOWEN PUMPED up The Showcase crowd and made them laugh, trading some fun banter with SportsCenter anchor and Spokane product Neil Everett.

One time, right when Bowen’s three-man group arrived at the 14th hole — otherwise known as the Floating Green — Everett said, “For a guy who wore No. 12, Bruce is shooting a plus-12. He’s a team player.”

To which Bowen, of course, responded.

“Notice he didn’t say anything to the other players!”

Another time soon after Bowen hit his tee shot onto the green, he had another thing to say.

“Where’s the announcer at now?”

And at the end of the day — literally — Bowen talked about the fundraiser that raised more than $3.47 million, after it raised $1.8 million last year.

“It’s a great cause,” Bowen said. “Cancer is something that affects everyone. It’s so devastating.”

Bowen was a very welcome celebrity golfer on the 16-man group and it was great listening to him talk some basketball on the golf course.

Bruce Bourquin is a sports writer at The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2013, via e-mail at bbourquin@cdapress.com or via Twitter @bourq25.