The Suns finished third in the Western Conference, but were knocked out by the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Western Conference Finals series in which Hawkins carried the Suns against a team that had future Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. Hawkins then signed a scholarship offer to play at the University of Iowa. [7] Hawkins led the ABA in scoring that year and won both the ABA's regular season and playoff MVP awards. Due to knee problems, Hawkins played in the NBA for only seven seasons. Hawkins was an NBA All-Star for … The Suns, a 1-year-old franchise at the time, lost a coin flip with Milwaukee for the rights to Lew Alcindor that year but won a separate coin flip with Seattle for the rights to Hawkins. was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Community relations representative, Phoenix Suns (1992- present). Legend! He also played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks before retiring in 1976. The Pipers made the playoffs despite injuries to their top four players, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. "One of the first players to play above the rim," Colangelo said, "and kind of set the tone for those who followed, Julius Erving in particular, in terms of charisma on the court and the ability to do things on court.". ", Dazzling hoops great Hawkins dies at age 75, Sources: Agreement near on Dec. 22 NBA start, LeBron seeks answers in death of friend's sister, 'Fast Eddie' Johnson, ex-NBA All-Star, dies at 65, KAT talks mom's COVID battle, coping with loss, Morey fan of Sixers' roster; eyeing championship, Obama details call that helped save NBA season, Inside the political donation history of wealthy sports owners, Warriors' new jerseys are a nod to the team's 'We Believe' era, Jordan team unveils Bubba Wallace's new ride, The people with all the power in NBA free agency, NBA free agency and trade debate: How the Pelicans help Zion, and bold predictions. Connie Hawkins was the first Suns player inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I was innocent, but no one would listen to me. Hell, no.

[8] 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. ABL All-Star First Team (1962). Hawkins joined the Pittsburgh Pipers in the inaugural 1967–68 season of the ABA, leading the team to a 54–24 regular season record and the 1968 ABA championship. Hawkins had borrowed $200 from Molinas for school expenses, which his brother Fred repaid before the scandal broke in 1961. Hawkins was an NBA All-Star for four straight seasons. Hawkins was never directly associated with the scandal, and the principals always contended he had nothing to do with it, but the NBA barred him nonetheless. Hawkins' name surfaced in an interview conducted with an individual who was involved in the scandal. 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). |  |  In the light of several major media pieces, notably in Life magazine, establishing the dubious nature of the evidence connecting Hawkins to gambling, the NBA concluded it was unlikely to successfully defend the lawsuit.

Hawkins would blow by defenders and, gripping the ball in one hand, finish with breathtaking wizardry or a thunderous slam, seemingly breaking the laws of gravity. 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 get inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. He was an actor, known for The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979), Super Slams of the NBA (1991) and NBA Hardwood Classics (1992).

Hawkins soon became a fixture at Rucker 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 born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, where he attended Boys High School. 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 grilled by New York City detectives who were investigating the scandal. He averaged only 16 points per game for the Suns in the 1972–73 season, and was traded to the Lakers for the next season. Hawkins eventually sued the NBA for banning him and, according to his biography on NBA.com, reached a settlement for more than $1 million.

For the series, Hawkins averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists per game. An original member of the Suns Ring of Honor, he was a community representative for the Phoenix franchise for many years after his retirement. He was, Colangelo said, "a very warm, compassionate guy who was very humble in his own way. During Hawkins' freshman year at Iowa, he was a victim of the hysteria surrounding a point-shaving scandal that had started in New York City. 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.

", Gonna miss the Hawk! Hawkins had surgery on his knee. Hawkins was All-City first team as a junior as Boys went undefeated and won New York's Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) title in 1959.

A New York City playground legend, "the Hawk" Team MVP (Phoenix Suns-1971). "The Hawk," as he came to be known for his soaring repertoire, was born July 17, 1942, in Brooklyn, where he could dunk by the age of 11 and ruled the asphalt playgrounds, tales of his basketball feats spreading across the boroughs.

"It was totally devastating," Hawkins said in a 2009 interview with NBA.com.

"'The Hawk' revolutionized the game and remains to this day an icon of the sport and one of basketball's great innovators," the Suns said in a statement. Together Chet and Connie Hawkins had two children — daughter Cynthia Payne and son Charles Hawkins (see the Connie Hawkins obituary here and the Chet Hawkins obituary here ).

Hawkins's lawyers suggested that he participate in the new American Basketball Association (ABA) as a way to establish his talent level as adequate to participate in the NBA.[6]. He died on October 6, 2017. "Someone said if I didn't break them, I was slow to obey them," Hawkins once said. In 1969, Hawkins hit the ground running in his first season with the Phoenix Suns, when he played 81 games and averaged 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Connie Hawkins was born on July 17, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Cornelius Lance Hawkins.



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