2023 NCAA champion Jordan Hawkins, a sophomore guard for Connecticut, is declaring for the NBA draft, as he informed Malika Andrews of ESPN during today’s broadcast of NBA Today (Twitter video link).
Hawkins is projected by ESPN’s big board to be the No. 15 pick in the impending 2023 draft.
“Hearing my name called on draft night will be a blessing,” Hawkins told Andrews, (hat tip to Jonathan Givony of ESPN). “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,” Hawkins continued. “I didn’t know the college game. Coach [Dan] 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.”
The 6’5″ swingman was an All-Big East First Teamer this season. He logged averages of 16.2 PPG with .409/.445/.887 shooting splits. He also chipped in 3.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 0.7 SPG. During Connecticut’s title game against San Diego State, Hawkins scored 16 points.
As Givony notes, Hawkins is considered an elite shooter, and improved as a ball-handler and defender this season, two skills that scouts are hoping he continues to develop at the next level. He went 21-of-42 from deep during the Huskies’ six-game tourney run.
“Shooting is my super power,” Hawkins said. “There are a lot of ball-dominant guys in the NBA who can create their own [shot]. I can be a knockdown shooter and play a significant role right away. As time moves on, I can develop and become an even bigger piece of the rotation, because I know I’m more than just a shooter. There’s more to my game, but I have to prove it to people.”
Hopefully he fares better than Bouknight
Lil D thinks he’s the comedian of this board. Rarely has a basketball take. So what could he possibly know about Bouknight. Hawkins is nowhere near the talent. Bouknight has. Unfortunately he plays for a confused franchise.
Since 2011 Hornets #1 picks …..
2022 – Jalen Duren (11), Mark Williams ,(15)
2021 – James Bouknight (11)
2020 – LaMello Ball (3)
2019 – PJ Washington (12)
2018 – SGA (11)
2017 – Malik Monk (11)
2016 – Malachi Richardson (22)
2015 – Frank Kaminsky (9)
2014 – Noah Vonleh (9)
2013 – Cody Zeller (4)
2012 – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2)
Never a basketball take ……
I’m a UCONN fan. Bouknight has zero basketball IQ and is just plain dumb. Arrested in college, and how many traffic stops since his draft? Dude was a cancer at UCONN.
Zero huh. Yeah ok . He was the best 2way player in the draft. Their best scorer. And every player from NY got IQ especially guards. Calling someone a cancer who was by far their best player. Only shows who you are.
It is known that Bouknight has really low basketball IQ JS
I thought Richardson was going to be something