Well-traveled 'Hawk' hopes defense wins him job with Warriors Brad Weinstein, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, October 2, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laie, Hawaii {ndash} -- Oh, the places he's been! "We got Taiwan, we got China, we got the Globetrotters, we got the Philippines, we got the CBA, we got the ABA, the Rockets and hopefully here with the Warriors,'' Juaquin Hawkins said. The well-traveled training-camp invitee can be excused for leaving out stints in the United States Basketball League and in Japan; he's more concerned with keeping track of his defensive assignment than the progression of his professional career. The 30-year-old from Lynwood (Los Angeles County) didn't jump through hoops to get to the NBA, just shot basketballs at a lot of them in different places. His latest stop is the campus of BYU-Hawaii, where the player known to his teammates as "Hawk'' is trying to take flight with a Warriors team that could use his ability to defend three positions and his willingness to do the little things that energize teams. A 6-foot-7, 205-pound swingman who played his college ball at Long Beach State, Hawkins appears to be a longshot to make the team because 14 Warriors have guaranteed contracts. Teams keep 12 players on their active roster and up to three more on their injured list. Hawkins faced similar odds last year when Houston, intent on setting a defensive-minded tone during the preseason, invited him to camp on the recommendation of former Rocket Scott Brooks, who coached Hawkins in the ABA2000. That was Hawkins' first NBA camp since the Clippers cut him before the 1998-99 season, which prompted him to tour with the Harlem Globetrotters and then play for Keith Smart, a first-year Warriors assistant coach, with the Fort Wayne Fury of the CBA. Hawkins not only remained with the Rockets all season -- he beat out former Warrior Oscar Torres, among others, for a roster spot -- but also started 10 games as an injury fill-in and appeared in 58 games overall. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in his starts and earned minutes more for hounding point guards, shooting guards and small forwards than for his offensive skills. "He won us over,'' said Warriors assistant coach Jim Boylen, a Rockets assistant last season. Boylen added that the tenacious Hawkins was "perfect for what we were looking for,'' just as he seems to be for the Warriors, who sought to increase the defensive intensity in camp after finishing last in points allowed and 22nd in field-goal-percentage defense in 2002-03. "You can't put a value on him,'' Boylen said, "because it's an example for your teammates, too. Taking a charge, getting a deflection, running the floor -- you can use him all the time to reinforce the things you want to do. '' Said coach Eric Musselman: "He's a role player who understands that the way he earns spots on rosters in this league is to play defense.'' That's why Hawkins is here with the Warriors. Hawkins said he declined an opportunity to compete for a job with the Rockets because he felt more confident in his chances with the Warriors. "I was looking at the stats last year, and I know the Warriors didn't do to well on the defensive end,'' Hawkins said. "I knew that was one thing they had a problem in. You have a lot of good scorers in the NBA and not too many people who can guard those scorers. I like having that challenge.'' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Training camp Where: Laie, Hawaii; Honolulu When: through Monday on BYU-Hawaii campus in Laie; Tuesday and Wednesday in Honolulu Schedule: Players with fewer than four years of service began practice Tuesday. The others start Friday. Preseason games against the Lakers are Tuesday and Wednesday. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2003/10/02/SPGBV22IVI1.DTL
10 minutes? why? it's about hawkins...a well liked ex-rocket. i hope he does catch on with GSW and has a great season.
So Hawk was invited to camp. He just declined because he saw the writing on the wall. Too bad, because I liked him alot.
Well that's good news! At least the Rocks invited him...it was Hawkin's decision. Now I am wondering about TMo! Good luck to Hawk..
