A superbly talented forward who had excellent overall abilities and was a terrific star, the forgotten Connie Hawkins meant a lot more to the game than some legends did.
A New York playground legend, it was there where he made his first steps as a pro player who often played against his heroes like Baylor, Wilt during the summers and showed case his ability.
However, his promising career was stopped for a gambling scandal that involved him and the NBA didn't let him to play. So, instead he played in smaller leagues where his magic was witnessed by more than 100 fans per night.
He then joined the newly formed ABA, in which in his first season proved who he was and completely dominated. He went on to be the Finals MVP, champion, leader in scoring in his first season!
He was the most talented forward of his time, long before Dr J and Bird. Connie possessed one of the finest all-around games of all time, as he excelled in all of the areas.
He had nice outside touch, could finish at the rim in variety of ways, was great rebounder, good presence in the paint and had guards' mentality which allowed him to dish many assists. He was actually the first 'point' forward!
In his peak, he had 24 points, 14 boards and seven assists vs the Lakers that had Wilt, Baylor and West in their roster. Impressive, isn't it? This was after his athletic prime that he couldn't show largely because of the scandal.
Hawkins was one of the top finishers and dunkers in the history of basketball as he was capable to score in dozens of ways near the rim. He had big hands, soft touch and was athletic enough to get high scoring chances. Before Julius Erving and Michael Jordan amazed fans with their high flying, there was Connie doing that.
After his spectacular performances in the ABA, he finally entered the NBA. Many then wondered will he thrive in the toughest competition in the sport because he didn't face great opponents for a long time.
However, he quickly proved that he belonged in there. He impressed fans with his amazing and entertaining style that was ahead of his time. He kept the newly formed Suns as an existing franchise
The Hawk was a revolutionary player who continued to revolutionize playing above the rim. In many ways, he possessed a defined and modern game. It's a shame that he was out of the strong basketball competitions for so long, because he was a marketable star mainly duo to his exciting style.
His legacy is that he was one of the greatest high fliers to ever step on a hardwood. Long live Connie Hawkins, the outstanding legend!
A New York playground legend, it was there where he made his first steps as a pro player who often played against his heroes like Baylor, Wilt during the summers and showed case his ability.
However, his promising career was stopped for a gambling scandal that involved him and the NBA didn't let him to play. So, instead he played in smaller leagues where his magic was witnessed by more than 100 fans per night.
He then joined the newly formed ABA, in which in his first season proved who he was and completely dominated. He went on to be the Finals MVP, champion, leader in scoring in his first season!
He was the most talented forward of his time, long before Dr J and Bird. Connie possessed one of the finest all-around games of all time, as he excelled in all of the areas.
He had nice outside touch, could finish at the rim in variety of ways, was great rebounder, good presence in the paint and had guards' mentality which allowed him to dish many assists. He was actually the first 'point' forward!
In his peak, he had 24 points, 14 boards and seven assists vs the Lakers that had Wilt, Baylor and West in their roster. Impressive, isn't it? This was after his athletic prime that he couldn't show largely because of the scandal.
Hawkins was one of the top finishers and dunkers in the history of basketball as he was capable to score in dozens of ways near the rim. He had big hands, soft touch and was athletic enough to get high scoring chances. Before Julius Erving and Michael Jordan amazed fans with their high flying, there was Connie doing that.
After his spectacular performances in the ABA, he finally entered the NBA. Many then wondered will he thrive in the toughest competition in the sport because he didn't face great opponents for a long time.
However, he quickly proved that he belonged in there. He impressed fans with his amazing and entertaining style that was ahead of his time. He kept the newly formed Suns as an existing franchise
The Hawk was a revolutionary player who continued to revolutionize playing above the rim. In many ways, he possessed a defined and modern game. It's a shame that he was out of the strong basketball competitions for so long, because he was a marketable star mainly duo to his exciting style.
His legacy is that he was one of the greatest high fliers to ever step on a hardwood. Long live Connie Hawkins, the outstanding legend!
