Season stats: 2025-26. Updated 7 h ago.
Bryce McGowens Will Miss Pelicans-Timberwolves Game With Toe Injury
newsroom · 49 min agoNew Orleans guard Bryce McGowens is day-to-day with a right toe injury and will sit out Sunday's game against the Timberwolves, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026. The 23-year-old enters his fourth season coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 8.1 points in 42 games for the Pelicans.
Injury Report
McGowens is listed as day-to-day with a right toe injury, logged in the leg category, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026. He is out for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The injury was first noted on September 6, 2026, and there is no update yet beyond the day-to-day tag. For a Pelicans backcourt that leans on depth, any missed time for McGowens shifts minutes to whoever is next up on the wing. There is no word yet on whether this is a lingering issue or a fresh one, and no other details on mechanism or severity beyond what has been reported. Fans should watch the injury report for updates as the return date approaches.
Last Season by the Numbers
McGowens played 42 games for the Pelicans in 2025-26, averaging 21.0 minutes, 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks. He shot 48.1 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from three and 77.9 percent from the free-throw line, numbers that added up to a 61.0 true shooting percentage. His usage rate sat at 13.6 percent, and his plus-minus was -1.7. Those are last season's numbers, not current production, since the 2026-27 season has not started for him yet. The efficiency marks, especially the three-point shooting, stand out for a bench guard averaging under 25 minutes a night.
Roster Role
McGowens wears No. 11 for New Orleans and plays guard. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 190 pounds, giving him decent size for the position. He is 23 years old and enters his fourth NBA season. He came out of Nebraska. His size at guard and his three-point shooting last season point to a role as a wing shooting guard who can space the floor. With the season not yet underway, his exact role for 2026-27 will start to take shape once he is healthy and back on the floor.
What's Next
The Pelicans have not started their season for McGowens yet, and the first thing on his calendar is getting past the toe injury that is keeping him out for Sunday against the Timberwolves. His estimated return is October 1, 2026, which lines up with the start of the season. Once healthy, he will look to build on last season's efficient shooting numbers over a full season. There are no trade rumors or roster moves tied to him at this point. The injury history shows only the one entry so far, logged September 6, 2026, so there is no pattern of recurring issues to point to yet.
Questions fans ask
Is Bryce McGowens playing for the Pelicans this season?
Yes, McGowens is on the Pelicans roster for 2026-27, wearing No. 11 as a guard.
What is Bryce McGowens' injury?
He has a day-to-day right toe injury in the leg category, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026.
Will McGowens play against the Timberwolves?
No, he is out for that game due to the toe injury.
How did Bryce McGowens play last season?
In 2025-26 with the Pelicans, he averaged 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists over 42 games, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three.
How tall is Bryce McGowens and where did he go to college?
He is 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, and played college basketball at Nebraska.
How many years has McGowens been in the NBA?
He is entering his fourth NBA season.
Game log
last 0| Date | Opp | Result | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No games logged yet this season. | |||||||||