University of Connecticut Athletics
Jordan Hawkins Declares For NBA Draft
4/7/2023 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / April 7, 2023
BRISTOL, Conn. – UConn sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins, fresh off helping the Huskies win the 2023 NCAA National Championship, has declared himself eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft.
Hawkins announced his decision on Friday afternoon during an appearance on ESPN's NBA Today. UConn head coach Dan Hurley also appeared with Hawkins on the program, which originated from ESPN studios in Bristol. The two were seated in chairs with the 2023 NCAA Championship trophy in-between.Â
"After having long talks with my coaching staff and my family," Jordan began. "I'd like to thank God, first and foremost, I'd like to thank my family for all the support and I'd like to thank Coach Hurley for believing in me. That being said, I'll be declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft."
The 6-5 guard, who is projected to be a first-round and perhaps a lottery pick, was UConn's second-leading scorer for the entire 2022-23 season, averaging 16.2 points per game, along with 3.8 rebounds. He shot .409 overall, .388 from three-point range.887 from the foul line. He hit a team-leading 109 three-pointers.
In UConn's six-game run in the NCAA Tournament, the smooth-shooting sophomore averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot .435 overall, .500 from beyond the arc, and .920 from the foul line.
Hawkins, a First Team All-BIG EAST selection, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional and was a Final Four All-Tournament pick.
"I think Jordan still has an unbelievable upside even beyond who he is right now," Hurley said. "I think he's one of the best movement shooters – there's a difference between being an elite catch-and-shoot player, but this guy can do it at full speed at a level that you haven't seen in college. He also has a lot of two-way potential because he's athletic and he's long."
Jordan's .872 career free throw percentage is the highest in UConn history. His 109 three-pointers made this season is second in UConn history only to Ray Allen's 115 (1995-96) and Hawkins' 2.9 made three-pointers per game is second only to Allen's 3.3 (1995-96).
"I just think that for the modern (NBA) game, the way it's played right now, I think he's got the potential to be a multi-positional defender," Hurley said. "What he does from a shooting standpoint, I think is going to be at the highest level of that league and he's old school. He's a guy who wants to be coached, he'll let you coach him and he's just going to get better and better.
"He's a big-time, winning player. He's a championship level player who has a skill set that's NBA ready and when this guy gets his full man-body, he's going to be a major problem."
Hawkins, who will turn 21 on April 29, becomes the seventh UConn player to opt for the NBA draft following his sophomore season – joining Caron Butler, Charlie Villanueva, Rudy Gay, Jeremy Lamb, Daniel Hamilton and James Bouknight. All, except Hamilton, were lottery picks in the NBA Draft.
The NBA Draft is set for June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
