Connie Hawkins

Connie Hawkins, born in Brooklyn, New York in the 1940’s, grew up to be 6’8” and an outstanding basketball player. He had mastered the game of street ball before attending an all-boys high school in Brooklyn, where he continued to play outdoor court basketball as he did not see much playing time on his high school team until his junior year. Late in his high school career, Hawkins became an AllCity first team and was recognized by the University of Iowa, accepting an athletic scholarship for when he graduated high school. Due to a series of scandals and controversies, Hawkins was expelled from the University of Iowa but went on to debut professionally in 1961 with the Pittsburgh Rens of the ABL League. Throughout his professional career, Hawkins also toured with the Harlem Globetrotters for five seasons and played for a variety of NBA teams, including the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks. Knee problems cut his career short but Hawkins was recognized for coming back from a negative college experience and making it big time. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.