Bower then moved on to become an assistant coach at Penn State University, where he spent two years before moving on to the NBA. He began his NBA career as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets, where he spent five years before being promoted to head coach in 2005.
Bower's tenure as head coach of the Hornets was short-lived, as he was fired after just one season. However, he quickly found a new job as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons, where he spent two years before being promoted to general manager in 2008.
As general manager of the Pistons, Bower was responsible for overseeing the team's operations, including player personnel, scouting, and salary cap management. He also played a key role in the team's decision-making process, helping to draft and sign players who would go on to become key contributors to the team's success.
Bower's tenure as general manager of the Pistons was successful, as the team made the playoffs in each of his three seasons in the role. However, he was fired in 2011 after the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in his tenure.
After leaving the Pistons, Bower spent a year as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets before returning to the Hornets as general manager in 2013. In this role, he was once again responsible for overseeing the team's operations and played a key role in the team's decision-making process.
Under Bower's leadership, the Hornets made the playoffs in two of his four seasons as general manager. However, he was fired in 2017 after the team failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Despite his success as a coach and general manager, Bower has largely flown under the radar in the basketball world. However, his contributions to the teams he has worked for have been significant, and he is widely respected for his knowledge of the game and his ability to evaluate talent.
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