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Connie Hawkins

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Connie Hawkins
Hawkins with the ABA's most valuable player award in 1968
Personal information
Born(1942-07-17)July 17, 1942
Brooklyn, New York,U.S.
DiedOctober 6, 2017(2017-10-06)(aged 75)
Phoenix, Arizona,U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolBoys(Brooklyn, New York)
NBA draft1964:undrafted
Playing career1961–1976
PositionPower forward/center
Number42
Career history
1961–1963Pittsburgh Rens
1963–1967Harlem Globetrotters
1967–1969Pittsburgh/Minnesota Pipers
1969–1973Phoenix Suns
1973–1975Los Angeles Lakers
1975–1976Atlanta Hawks
Career highlights and awards
Career ABA and NBA statistics
Points11,528 (18.7 ppg)
Rebounds5,450 (8.8 rpg)
Assists2,556 (4.1 apg)
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat NBA.com
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Cornelius Lance"Connie"Hawkins(July 17, 1942 – October 6, 2017) was an American professionalbasketballplayer. A New York City playground legend, "the Hawk" was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famein 1992.

Early years

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Hawkins was born in theBedford-Stuyvesantsection of Brooklyn, where he attendedBoys High School,and played for coachMickey Fisher.Hawkins soon became a fixture atRucker Park,a legendary outdoor court where he battled against some of the best players in the world.[1]

Hawkins did not play much until his junior year at Boys High. Hawkins was All-City first team as a junior as Boys went undefeated and won New York'sPublic Schools Athletic League(PSAL) title in 1959. During his senior year he averaged 25.5 points per game, including one game in which he scored 60, and Boys again went undefeated and won the 1960 PSAL title. Hawkins then signed a scholarship offer to play at theUniversity of Iowa.

College and investigation into point-shaving

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During Hawkins' freshman year atIowa,he was a victim of the hysteria surrounding apoint-shavingscandal that had started in New York City. Hawkins' name surfaced in an interview conducted with an individual who was involved in the scandal. While some of the conspirators and characters involved were known to or knew Hawkins, none – including the New York attorney at the center of the scandal,Jack Molinas– had ever sought to involve Hawkins in the conspiracy. Hawkins had borrowed $200 ($2,000 in current dollar terms) from Molinas for school expenses, which his brother Fred repaid before the scandal broke in 1961.[2]The scandal became known as the1961 college basketball gambling scandal.

Despite the fact that Hawkins could not have been involved in point-shaving (as a freshman, due to NCAA rules of the time, he was ineligible to participate in varsity-level athletics), he was kept from seeking legal counsel while being questioned by New York City detectives who were investigating the scandal.[3]

Expulsion from Iowa

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As a result of the investigation, during which Hawkins maintained that he had no involvement in the scheme,[4]and despite never being arrested or indicted, Hawkins was expelled from Iowa. He was effectivelyblackballedfrom the college ranks as no NCAA orNAIAschool would offer him a scholarship.NBAcommissionerJ. Walter Kennedylet it be known that he would not approve any contract for Hawkins to play in the league. At the time, the NBA had a policy barring players who were even remotely involved with point-shaving scandals. As a result, when his class was eligible for the draft in 1964, no team selected him. He went undrafted in 1965 as well before being formally banned from the league in 1966.[2][5]

Professional career

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Pittsburgh Rens (1961–1963)

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Hawkins in 1962

With the major professional basketball league having blackballed him, Hawkins played one season for thePittsburgh Rensof theAmerican Basketball League(ABL), an aspiring rival to the NBA, and was named the league's most valuable player.

Harlem Globetrotters (1963–1967)

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After that league folded in the middle of the 1962–63 season, Hawkins spent four years performing with theHarlem Globetrotters.[6]

During the time Hawkins was traveling with the Globetrotters, he filed a $6 millionlawsuitagainst the NBA, claiming the league had unfairly banned him from participation and that there was no substantial evidence linking him to gambling activities. Hawkins's lawyers suggested that he participate in the newAmerican Basketball Association(ABA) as a way to establish his talent level as adequate to participate in the NBA, as well as an immediate source of income.[7]

Pittsburgh/Minnesota Pipers (1967–1969)

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Hawkins joined thePittsburgh Pipersin the inaugural 1967–68 season of the ABA, leading the team to a 54–24 regular season record and the1968 ABA championship.[8]Hawkins led the ABA in scoring that year and won both the ABA's regular season andplayoff MVPawards.

The Pipers moved to Minnesota for the 1968–69 season, but injuries and a knee surgery limited Hawkins to 47 games. The Pipers made the playoffs despite injuries to their top four players, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Following the playoffs, the Pipers franchise moved back to Pittsburgh.

Hawkins' lawyer,Roslyn Litman,and her husband, fellow lawyer S. David Litman, who was the brother of the Rens owner, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA in 1966, arguing that the league and its owners blacklisted Hawkins.[9][10]The NBA had refused to allow any team to hire Hawkins, who at the time the Litmans started working with while he was still playing for the Harlem Globetrotters.[9][10]

photo of Hawkins with his attorney, Roz Litman, in 1969, celebrating the favorable settlement of his antitrust case against the NBA text
Hawkins in 1969, with his attorney, Roz Litman, celebrating the settlement of his antitrust case against the NBA

In the light of several major media pieces, most notably aLifemagazine article written by David Wolf, establishing the dubious nature of the evidence connecting Hawkins to gambling, the NBA concluded it was unlikely to successfully defend the lawsuit. Seeking to avoid a defeat in court which might jeopardize its ability to bar players who had actually participated in gambling, the NBA elected to settle after the 1968–69 season and admit Hawkins to the league. The league agreed to a $1.3M settlement in 1969.[9]

The league paid Hawkins a cash settlement of nearly $1.3 million (approximately $10,800,000 in 2024), and assigned his rights to the expansionPhoenix Suns.He would be assigned to the Suns as a result of them winning a coin toss over theSeattle SuperSonics.[11]Although the Pipers made a cursory effort to re-sign him, playing in the NBA had been a longtime ambition for Hawkins and he quickly signed with the Suns.

Phoenix Suns (1969–1973)

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In 1969, still recovering from knee surgery in his final ABA season, Hawkins hit the ground running with thePhoenix Suns,when he played 81 games and averaged 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. In the final game of his rookie season, Connie had 44 points, 20 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 blocks and 5 steals. The Suns finished third in theWestern Conference,and in the1970 NBA playoffsthey were knocked out by theLos Angeles Lakersin a seven-game Western Conference Semifinals series in which Hawkins carried the Suns against a team that had future Hall of FamersWilt Chamberlain,Elgin BaylorandJerry West.In Game 2 of the series, on March 29, 1970, Hawkins led the Suns to a 114–101 victory while scoring 34 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and recording 7 assists.[12]For the series, Hawkins averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

He missed 11 games due to injury during the1970–71 season,averaging 21 points per game. He matched those stats the next year, and was the top scorer on a per-game basis for the Suns in the1971–72 season.He averaged a comparatively low 16 points per game for the Suns in the1972–73 season.

Los Angeles Lakers (1973–1975)

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Hawkins as a member of theLos Angeles Lakers

Averaging 11.3 points nine games into the1973–74 seasonand having been replaced in the starting lineup byMike Bantom,Hawkins was traded from the Suns to the Lakers forKeith Ericksonand a1974second-round selection (31st overall–Fred Saunders) on October 30.[13][14]

Atlanta Hawks (1975–1976)

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Injuries limited Hawkins' production in the 1974–75 season, and he finished his career after the 1975–76 season, playing for theAtlanta Hawks.

Milestones

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Connie Hawkins was named to theABA's All-Time Team.

Due to knee problems, Hawkins played in the NBA for only seven seasons. He was an All-Star from 1970 to 1973 and was named to the All-NBA First Team in the 1969–70 season. His No. 42 jersey wasretired by the Suns.

Despite being unable to play in the NBA when he was in his prime, Hawkins' performances throughout the ABL, ABA and NBA helped get him inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famein 1992.[15]

Career statistics

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Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
FG% Field goalpercentage 3P% 3-point field goalpercentage FT% Free throwpercentage
RPG Reboundsper game APG Assistsper game SPG Stealsper game
BPG Blocksper game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
Bold Denotes career highs

Regular season

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Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
FG% Field goalpercentage 3P% 3-point field goalpercentage FT% Free throwpercentage
RPG Reboundsper game APG Assistsper game SPG Stealsper game
BPG Blocksper game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
† Won anNBA championship * Led the league
† Denotes seasons in which Hawkins' team won anABA championship
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1961-62 Pittsburgh (ABL) 78 – 42.9 .509 .167 .790 13.3 2.3 – – 27.5*
1962-63 Pittsburgh (ABL) 16 – 41.8 .491 – .770 12.8 2.6 – – 27.9
1967–68† Pittsburgh (ABA) 70 – 44.9* .519 .222 .764 13.5 4.6 – – 26.8*
1968–69 Minnesota (ABA) 47 – 39.4 .511 .136 .767 11.4 3.9 – – 30.2
1969–70 Phoenix 81 – 40.9 .490 – .779 10.4 4.8 – – 24.6
1970–71 Phoenix 71 – 37.5 .434 – .816 9.1 4.5 – – 20.9
1971–72 Phoenix 76 – 36.8 .459 – .807 8.3 3.9 – – 21.0
1972–73 Phoenix 75 – 36.9 .479 – .797 8.5 4.1 – – 16.1
1973–74 Phoenix 8 – 27.9 .486 – .667 7.2 5.2 1.4 1.0 11.3
1973–74 L.A. Lakers 71 – 35.7 .502 – .772 7.4 5.3 1.5 1.4 12.8
1974–75 L.A. Lakers 43 – 23.9 .429 – .687 4.6 2.8 1.2 .5 8.0
1975–76 Atlanta 74 – 25.8 .447 – .712 6.0 2.9 1.1 .6 8.2
Career 710 – 37.0 .484 .162 .780 9.4 3.9 .3 .2 19.9

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1962 Pittsburgh (ABL) 1 – 53.0 .609 – .929 17.0 4.0 – – 41.0
1968† Pittsburgh (ABA) 14 – 44.0 .594 – .729 12.3 4.6 – – 29.9
1969 Minnesota (ABA) 7 – 45.7 .378 .500 .645 12.3 3.9 – – 24.9
1970 Phoenix 7 – 46.9 .413 – .818 13.9 5.9 – – 25.4
1974 L.A. Lakers 5 – 34.4 .350 – .800 8.0 3.2 1.4 .2 10.8
Career 34 – 43.8 .473 .500 .743 12.1 4.5 1.4 .2 25.5

Personal life

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The Hawkins' story up to 1971 is documented in the biography,Foulby David Wolf,ISBN978-0030860218[16]

In a skit forNBC'sSaturday Night Livein 1975, Hawkins played against singerPaul Simonin a one-on-one game accompanied by Simon's song "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard."The skit was presented as a schoolyard challenge between the two and had Simon winning, despite the disparity in height between the two men (Simon at 5 ft 3 in, Hawkins at 6 ft 8 in).[17]

One of Hawkins' nephews is Jim McCoy Jr., who scored a school-record 2,374 career points for theUMass Minutemen basketballteam from 1988 to 1992.[18][19]

He was the grandfather of Shawn Hawkins, who played professional basketball internationally and was a two-time scoring champion in Taiwan'sSuper Basketball League(SBL).[20]

Hawkins moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and worked in community relations for the Suns until his death from cancer on October 6, 2017, at the age of 75.[21][22][23]

[edit]

Hawkins’ story is the topic of a song titled "The Legend of Connie Hawkins" byDispatchon their 2021 albumBreak Our Fall.

References

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  1. ^"Connie Hawkins".CNN.
  2. ^abFlatter, Ron."Layups: More Info on Connie Hawkins".ESPN.RetrievedMay 1,2010.
  3. ^Flatter, Ron (August 31, 2000)."Connie Hawkins: Flying Outside".ESPN.RetrievedOctober 7,2017.
  4. ^"When the Hawk Was a Hawk: Connie Hawkins and the Iowa Basketball Career That Could Have Been".March 20, 2020.
  5. ^"Connie Hawkins Bio".NBA.com.Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.RetrievedMay 1,2010.
  6. ^Moreland, Thomas (July 15, 2010),"'Foul! The Connie Hawkins Story' Is a Great Read for Hoops Fans ",Bleacher Report
  7. ^Wolf, David (February 9, 1972).Foul! The Connie Hawkins Story.New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.ISBN0-03-086021-0.
  8. ^Simonich, Milan (March 31, 2008)."Pittsburgh had its basketball kings for a day in '68".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  9. ^abcKnafo, Saki (February 18, 2022)."He Changed the Game, but 'Nobody Knows Who He Is'".The New York Times.
  10. ^abRoberts, Sam (October 8, 2016)."Roslyn Litman, Antitrust Lawyer and Civil Liberties Advocate, Dies at 88".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedNovember 28,2022.
  11. ^"50 for 50: The History of the Phoenix Suns – 1969–70".October 5, 2017.
  12. ^1970 NBA Western Division Semifinals Game 2: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
  13. ^Goldaper, Sam. "The Hawk Takes Off, Traded to Lakers,"The New York Times,Wednesday, October 31, 1973.Retrieved November 29, 2020
  14. ^1974 NBA Draft Pick Transactions, May 28 – Pro Sports Transactions.Retrieved November 29, 2020
  15. ^Goldstein, Richard (October 7, 2017),"Connie Hawkins, Electrifying N.B.A. Forward Banned in His Prime, Dies at 75",The New York Times
  16. ^Foul! The Connie Hawkins Story: Wolf, David: 9780030860218: Amazon.com: Books.ISBN0030860210.
  17. ^"SNL Transcripts:Paul Simon: 10/18/75: Weekend Update with Chevy Chase".snltranscripts.jt.org.RetrievedJanuary 1,2012.
  18. ^Burris, Joe (February 7, 1992). "When McCoy cries 'Uncle'... UMass star gets Hall of Fame help from Connie Hawkins".The Boston Globe.
  19. ^"UMass Men's Basketball Record Book"(PDF).UMass Athletics. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 24, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 26,2012.
  20. ^"SBL History".Taiwan Hoops.June 16, 2012.RetrievedOctober 7,2017.
  21. ^"Connie Hawkins No Cards".New York Daily News.
  22. ^"Connie Hawkins* stats index | SportStats.name".
  23. ^Goldstein, Richard (October 7, 2017)."Connie Hawkins, Electrifying N.B.A. Forward Barred in His Prime, Dies at 75".The New York Times.
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