Hawk Didn't Fall Far From the Tree
by Frank Burlison, Long Beach Press-Telegram
February 24, 2006 He is a direct descendent of one of basketball's legendary players.
But, as a fifth-grader getting his first taste of the sport, Shawn Hawkins only knew him as "grandpa."
"When I first started playing (in Pittsburgh), people would hear my name and ask me, 'Are you related to Connie Hawkins?" " Shawn Hawkins said, smiling Tuesday afternoon in The Walter Pyramid, 30 minutes before a practice with his Long Beach State teammates.
"I'd tell them 'Yeah, he's my grandfather." "
At the time, it took older coaches and long-time basketball fans to explain to Hawkins just how significant his grandfather's place in the sport's lore has been.
"Yeah," the 49ers' 6-foot-6 senior said, smiling again, "he was Dr. J or Michael Jordan, before there was a Dr. J or Michael Jordan."
Connie Hawkins was the first of the American Basketball Association standouts in late 1960s, and later took his high-flying and slam-dunking style of play, which foreshadowed that of future stars Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins and Jordan, to the NBA for seven seasons, most notably in four All-NBA years with the Phoenix Suns.
Connie Hawkins, who works in the Suns' Community Relations department, was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
"We still talk two or three times a week (by telephone)," Shawn Hawkins said.
"He helps me with basketball stuff but we talk about everything."
And now Shawn Hawkins doesn't have to rely on coaches, fans or reporters, old enough to have vivid memories of first-hand viewing experiences, to get a feel for what kind of player his grandfather was.
"We've sat down and he's shown me some stuff on tape," he said. "Most of it was when he played for the Suns. He has some ABA stuff, too, must it's more like home movies that people gave him."
And, yes, he wishes he could have inherited some more of his grandfather's hoops genes.
He smiled.
"I didn't get his big hands," he said of the mitts that could grasp a basketball like most other players can grip a volleyball, "or his jumping ability."
Hawkins got a lot of the "Are you related to …?" questions when the 49ers were in New York last week for a Bracket Buster game with Manhattan College in which they upset the Jaspers, 108-94, to improve to 13-11.
"One of their radio announcers, and their coach (Bobby Gonzalez) asked me about him (his grandfather)," Hawkins said.
And he proceeded to demonstrate some nifty skills of his own while scoring a career-high 25 points with seven rebounds in just 29 minutes as the 49ers, who travel to UC Davis for a nonconference game Saturday afternoon.
That effort, coupled with his 16-point, five-rebound and three-assist performance in the team's 88-79 conference victory over visiting Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 15, was enough to bag his first Big West Player of the Year honor.
More importantly, said Hawkins (12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game), the 49ers appear to have finally gotten a handle on coach Larry Reynolds' offensive scheme and just in time, since the conference tournament, with the NCAA Tournament bid that goes to the winner as the tantalizing carrot, will be underway in two weeks at the Anaheim Convention Center.
"We're getting comfortable in knowing what we can and can't do within the offense," Hawkins said of the team's half-court man-to-man attack, which attempts to spread defenders and exploit perceived mismatches a 49er may have on the player defending him.
Chemistry, and shot selection, appeared to have been issues in many of the team's defeats.
Hawkins agrees.
"I believe the team is coming together," he said. "We're making strides. You see everyone (on the bench) clapping and cheering. Now people seem genuinely happy for each other and that hasn't always been the case."
And that might have had a byproduct of the deeper and more talented roster, as well as the competitiveness of the players, that Reynolds has this season.
"It was kind of rough," Hawkins said. "Coach brought in so many players this season (there were eight newcomers, seven of those junior college veterans) and everyone was all-state, all-region or an all-star where they came from. All of the guys have the same aspirations of wanting to go on and play professional basketball some day. Put all of them on the same team and then ask them to get along. That can be tough."
The "share-the-wealth" approach five 49ers average in double-figure scoring is one that can help the 49ers exceeded their season by at least by a week if they stick to it, Hawkins believes.
"We've seen everyone in the conference," he said. "We know we can make a run for the championship. It's just a matter of coming out and playing hard and focused for three nights in a row (in Anaheim). We have to take the 'every game could be our last' approach from here on out." "
Hawkins' mother, Shawna Hawkinsis due into Southern California from Pittsburgh next week for the 49ers' final home game Thursday night against UC Riverside and their regular-season finale at UC Irvine two nights later.
"She's never been here or watched me play in person (during his two seasons with Long Beach)," Hawkins said.
It will be just another segment of what has been emotional senior season for Hawkins.
One of his aunts died several months ago and just last week her husband David Hawkins, Shawn's uncle died following two seizures. He was only 35.
"I didn't have a father growing up," Hawkins said. "He (David Hawkins) was my 'father figure." He made me what I am today, basically. He taught me so much, not only about basketball but about life and what it takes to be a man who takes care of business."
Those tragedies have helped Hawkins gain a perspective on basketball, and life, as his remaining days as a college player dwindle to the very few.
"I think that's a reason I'm playing a lot better than I ever have," he said, softly. "No one is promised tomorrow. It makes you see things in a different light. Not only could each game be your last, but each day could be your last. So I want to make the rest of this season as memorable as I can by playing as hard as possible and doing everything I'm capable of to help this team win." |
