STORRS, Conn. — UConn sophomore guard and National Champion Jordan Hawkins officially declared for the NBA Draft on Friday.
Earlier this afternoon, Hawkins appeared on the ESPN show NBA Today with Head Coach Dan Hurley.
"After having long talks with my coaching staff and my family, I'd like to thank God first and foremost, I'd like to thank my family for all the support, I'd like to thank Coach Hurley for believing. That being said I'll be declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft," he said on the show with Hurley beside him.
UConn men's basketball's Twitter account immediately posted a Tweet thanking Hawkins and saying he'd be a Husky forever.
Hawkins made the All-Tournament Team alongside his teammates Adama Sanogo and Tristen Newton for their contributions to bringing the national championship trophy back to Storrs.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Gaithersburg, Maryland averaged 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists this past season.
Hawkins also averaged 16.3 points in the Huskies' six games in the NCAA Tournament and shot 50% from 3-point range (21 of 42). He scored 16 points in the Huskies win over San Diego State in the title game on Monday night.
He's known for his ability to come off a screen and quickly release a 3-point attempt. He shot 38.8% from beyond the arc this season.
His 109 3-pointers this year are second behind Ray Allen’s 115 on UConn’s single-season list.
Hawkins could be the first UConn player taken in the first round of the draft since James Bouknight was selected at No. 11 by Charlotte in 2021.
Hawkins made this year’s NCAA championships a family affair when he picked up a title a day after his cousin Angel Reese led LSU to the women's crown.
And he had a message for those who’ve criticized Reese for waving her hand in front of her face while staring down Iowa star Caitlin Clark before pointing toward her finger where a championship ring might be while walking toward the Iowa star.
“We’re national champions. They're not," he said. "So, at the end of the day, they can say whatever they want.”
Hawkins raved about his cousin after scoring 16 points to help UConn claim its fifth title with a 76-59 win over San Diego State.
“I’m so proud of her,” he said. “She works so hard."
Then he was asked who would win a friendly family game of one-on-one between the two national champions.
“Probably me, now. I would probably win,” he said. “But there was a time I would probably lose to her.”
Daniel Dashefsky is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at ddashefsky@fox61.com.
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