Jordan Hawkins Is 'Fearless'
Jordan Hawkins' career night scoring 31 points against the NBA champions Denver Nuggets, also equaled his best shooting output since his UConn days. "Hawkeye" displayed for the Pelicans brass why he was chosen as their top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft with an impressive display of "fearless" shooting by draining 7 of 14 shots from beyond the arc.
"He's fearless," Pelicans Coach Willie Green told the media. "When he's open, he's going to shoot it. He's aggressive. And the beauty in it is that all of his teammates, they're looking for him." Shooting treys was an Achilles Heel for the Pelicans in 2022-23. It's a positive sign for the Pels to see Hawkins contribute early to the team's scoring efforts, especially with CJ McCollum out of the lineup. In addition, he grabbed seven rebounds, dished three assists, and stole a ball on the evening.
"I always have high praise for Jordan," Zion Williamson said. "A rookie that comes in with that type of confidence. Especially against a team like that - that's big time."
What did the Pelicans first-year player have to say about his performance that has put the NBA on notice?
Nov 6, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) attempts a shot as Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) defends in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
HAWKINS' TOP POSTGAME QUOTES
A Rookie's Blessing: I mean, it's great. Not a lot of guys, especially rookies, are fortunate to get put in a situation I'm in. But, I mean, I'm blessed to have The coaching staff I have and all all the teammates I have. So I'm in a I'm in a great situation, and I can't I can't complain about anything. — Jordan Hawkins
Overcoming challenges in sports: "I mean, I just take it all the way back to college. I mean, I stayed the extra year in college, so I could be that guy. And when When I'm on and, I'm on, but when I'm off, I'm off. I still got to keep my head high. So that's one thing I took from college the last year I was there. So, that really prepared me for this moment. I'm never going to hang my head on a missed shot...it's a long season. It's a long game."— Jordan Hawkins
Working Hard in Basketball: I mean, it's really good. I mean, I came in here, just telling myself, love, just keep your head down, work hard, and that's what I've been doing. And, and I know I could shoot the ball, and shooting the ball is it's a vital key for the team. So, that's helped me a lot as well.— Jordan Hawkins
Nov 2, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) during the first half at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Benefits of Playing with Star Teammates: "I mean, when you're playing with guys like z, b I, it makes life so much easier for you."— Jordan Hawkins
Teamwork in Basketball: "I mean, it's great. He's an all-star player, an MVP-type of player. So, I mean, he's great. I mean, I just I hit the shots and make it easier for him. That's that's what I'm saying to myself. Just make it easier for Zeke to get to the rim and get what he wants. And, I mean, it's a team. It's a team game."— Jordan Hawkins
Overcoming Adversity: "I mean, our 3 losses, we're definitely all we should've won the game...I mean, good thing it's a long season on game 7. So we'll we'll definitely figure it out. We got the guys that want to figure it out, and the guys are buying. So, I think we'll be fine."— Jordan Hawkins
Two questions for Hawkins going forward this season: What impact does Hawkins believe his performance has on making the game easier for his teammates, particularly for star players like Zion? And, what challenges and opportunities does Hawkins see for improvement in the team's performance?
The New Orleans Pelicans (4-3) will face the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) for their fourth road game of the season at Target Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The start time is for 7 PM CT for a projected starting lineup of G Hawkins, G Jones, F Williamson, F Ingram, and C Valanciunas.
