The basketball superstar the NBA tried to erase from history
In short: Connie Hawkins was one of the 20th century's greatest talents, yet the NBA officially banned him for years. Caught in a scandal he didn't cause, 'the Hawk' spent his prime years in the wilderness, proving his greatness in alternative leagues before finally winning his freedom.
In 1961, a massive point-shaving scandal involving Jack Molinas devastated the career of a young Connie Hawkins. Although Hawkins had received favors from Molinas, he was not part of the betting ring. Nevertheless, after being questioned by law enforcement in New York, Hawkins was expelled from the University of Iowa. This led to a period of 'blackballing' where the NBA officially sanctioned a ban against him in 1966. The young Brooklyn native had only recently begun focusing on the sport during his high school junior year. His path to the University of Iowa was paved by an unprecedented combination of grace, athleticism, and height.
Denied access to the NBA, Hawkins became a legend in the shadows. He played for the Harlem Globetrotters for four years and starred in the American Basketball League (ABL) and the American Basketball Association (ABA). In the ABL, he was the 1961–62 MVP, and in the ABA, he won the league's first MVP award while leading the Pittsburgh Pipers to a championship. His high-flying, acrobatic style was a precursor to modern legends like Michael Jordan. During his time with the Pittsburgh Rens, he was selected as the league's most valuable player for the 1961–62 season. He also spent four years performing with the famous Harlem Globetrotters.
The injustice was finally addressed through an antitrust lawsuit filed in 1966 by lawyers David and Roslyn Litman. The suit alleged that NBA teams had conspired to prohibit his employment. Fearing a legal defeat, the NBA reached a settlement with Hawkins, clearing his name in 1969. He finally joined the Phoenix Suns at age 27, immediately proving his worth by averaging 24.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and leading the franchise to its first playoffs. Despite entering the league as a veteran, he earned first-team All-NBA honors and a starter spot in the 1970 All-Star Game. He eventually retired in 1974 after brief stints with the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Connie Hawkins | Basketball Hall of Famer, Phoenix Suns Legend | Britannica
- Also: Connie Hawkins
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