John Nowland ‘27 training with the men’s basketball team. Photo courtesy of John Nowland.
When John Nowland ‘27 came to Davidson with medical school in mind, he thought his basketball days were behind him. Two years later, after stints as a practice player on the women’s and men’s basketball teams, Nowland suited up as a walk-on for Davidson’s opening Red/Black Scrimmage last Friday.
Nowland was surrounded by basketball from a young age. He grew up in Spokane, Washington, the home of perennial basketball powerhouse Gonzaga University and Hoopfest, the largest three-on-three tournament in the world. Up through middle school, Nowland identified as only a spectator.
Stakes changed after Nowland’s freshman year of high school. “I never really took [basketball] seriously until I had my growth spurt. I went from 5-foot-4 to 6-foot-4. The coaches started to notice me, and they were like ‘hey, we want you to play for us,’” Nowland said.
Starting from his high school’s ‘C’ team as a freshman, Nowland moved to junior varsity (JV) his sophomore year and ultimately landed on the varsity roster his senior year. In his first full year as a varsity player, Nowland earned the title of captain, breached the top five in his league’s player rankings and received first team all-state honors.
Nowland’s grit not only reveals itself through his succession of skill in high school, but also through his off-the-court aims of becoming a doctor. “I had offers coming out of high school to play at small colleges around Washington, but I wanted to prioritize my dreams of becoming a doctor […] my long term goal is medicine and practicing cardiothoracic surgery,” Nowland said.
Davidson’s strong pre-medicine program drew Nowland across the country—a 2,500 mile drive away. But without basketball, Nowland felt like something was missing. “I got [to Davidson] but I still wanted to play somehow. So I reached out to the women’s coaching staff and asked if I could practice, and they let me be a practice player,” Nowland said.
Matt McKillop ‘06 is the head coach of men’s basketball. “I’m thrilled it’s going in the way where he can now have that dream of being a college basketball player while also pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor,” McKillop said.
Nowland’s tenure as a practice player was cut short when the women’s team cancelled the remainder of their season with three games to go in 2023-24 due to widespread injury. But Nowland didn’t let that stop him.
“I wanted to keep playing,” Nowland said. “I reached out to the men’s side, and they helped me out. And from there it just took off. I realized that walking on was something that could happen, so I started to pursue [it].”
Despite a late introduction to the team, McKillop said Nowland quickly adapted to the program.
“He was in a funky position having not even approached the men’s basketball staff until the end of his freshman year,” McKillop said. “When we threw him into some drills as a manager, we realized that he was physically capable of helping us, and he knew how to play well.”
During his time working out with the team, Nowland understood that finding his role on the team did not consist of selfish or showy play. “A lot of [walking on] was proving that you were committed to the program. They knew I wasn’t going to average 30 [points per game],” Nowland said.
“I was going to walk on by proving to be consistent in my role, do what was asked and do a good job. They want me to be physical, to set screens—just make guys better.”
Nowland is a team player on and off the court. “Whether he was a manager last year or now, a member of the team, he’s always had the personality and the ability to get along with everybody,” McKillop said.
The walk-on process was not easy. Nowland said his support network helped him push through mental setbacks. “There were moments where I was like: ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’ but I have a really strong support system around me, with my friends and family.”
Nowland entered into his Davidson men’s basketball experience weighing in at 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds in spring 2024. After a summer spent lifting and training with the team, Nowland weighed in 30 pounds heavier.
“I’m super grateful that they’ve made me way stronger,” Nowland said. “In the past few months I’ve improved at basketball and I still love playing it.”
The common refrain throughout Nowland’s journey? Persistence pays off. Growing up in Spokane, working for spots on practice squads and putting in the work to make the team, all while focusing on his med-school dreams-—Nowland’s story is proof that hard work yields success.
“If I’m ever tired during a draw or if I get hit really hard, I’ll say ‘ok, maybe I’ll sit this next one out.’ But I think about how much I worked to get to the point to have that opportunity to be in those drills, and I think: ‘what am I talking about?’ I want to be doing this. I love what I’m doing and I don’t know why I would ever not want to do it,” Nowland said.