Rollin Cowan
NBA basketball player, 1970s-80s defender
Rollin Cowan (born February 17, 1953) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 1970s and 1980s. Standing 6'3", Cowan was a guard/forward known primarily for his defensive capabilities and basketball IQ rather than offensive scoring prowess. He played for several NBA teams including the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, and others during his professional career. While not a marquee star, Cowan represented the depth of professional basketball talent during an era of significant expansion and growth in the NBA. His career reflects the experiences of numerous journeyman players who contributed to their teams' efforts without achieving superstardom. Cowan's professional basketball career demonstrates the competitive standards of NBA play during the modern era.
Athlete
American
1953
Thinking about the name
Rollin
Germanic origin
“A streamlined variant of Roland with the -in ending, popularized in American culture and music. Rollin' (often spelled with an apostrophe in colloquial use) suggests movement, energy, and a laid-back coolness—it became iconic through music and street culture.”