UConn's Hawkins to enter NBA draft
Apr. 7—Jordan Hawkins had a breakout year during his sophomore campaign with the UConn men's basketball team.
The 6-foot-5 guard helped lead the Huskies to the national championship, the program's fifth title overall.
Now the Gaithersburg, Maryland native will try his hand at professional basketball.
Hawkins will forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and enter his name into the NBA draft, he told ESPN's Malika Andrews on the network's "NBA Today" show Friday afternoon.
"Hearing my name called on draft night will be a blessing," Hawkins told ESPN as he was joined on the show by UConn coach Dan Hurley. "I worked so hard for this, me and my dad, we've been through so much.
"When I first stepped on campus in Storrs, I was a little kid, just 160 pounds. I didn't know the college game. Coach Hurley threw me into the fire. He guided me through it. It means the world for me having him, having this opportunity. He told me sophomore year I need to step my game up, make a name for myself. It's amazing what we did together as a team."
In six NCAA Tournament games, Hawkins averaged 16.3 points and 3.2 rebounds — including 16 points and four rebounds in UConn's 76-59 win over San Diego State in the national championship game — and was named to the All-Tournament team. He was 21-for-42 overall from beyond the arc.
Hawkins was also voted the West Regional Most Outstanding Player, averaging 22.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in the Huskies' two wins in Las Vegas.
Hawkins started all 37 games he played for the Huskies (31-8) this season — he missed two games after entering the concussion protocol during UConn's season opener against Stonehill.
He was second on the team with 16.2 points per game while averaging 3.8 rebounds and shooting 40.9% overall, 38.8% from deep and 88.7% from the free throw line.
Hawkins scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 31 against St. John's Jan. 15.
In Big East play, Hawkins led the conference with 17.3 points per game, becoming the fourth Husky to win the league's scoring title. He was named to the all-conference first team.
Hawkins was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District I team and to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 5 second team.
He was also one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award, which is awarded by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and recognizes the top shooting guard in Division I men's college basketball.
As a freshman last year, Hawkins averaged 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.7 minutes across 27 games while shooting 35.3% from the floor, 33.3% from deep and 82.1%t at the line en route to being named to the Big East All-Freshman team.
Hawkins is currently ranked 15th in ESPN's draft projections. Draft experts have pegged him as a mid- to-late first-round draft choice. Teammates Adama Sanogo and Andre Jackson have not announced their plans for next season.
Hawkins will be making a personal appearance at Dick's Sporting Goods in Manchester Saturday from 5-6:30 p.m. Saturday. The first 200 people who pick up wristbands starting at 9 a.m. at Dick's will be admitted.
The NBA draft combine is May 15-21 in Chicago and the draft June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn
For coverage of UConn football and men's basketball as well as area high school and local youth sports, follow Adam Betz on Twitter: @AdBetz1, Facebook: Adam Betz — Sports Writer, and Instagram: @AdBetzJI.
