(Atlantic) Within the next week to ten days, Ryan Hawkins will likely have the answer to the big, looming question of where will he play professional basketball.
After a college career filled with accolades and championships, Hawkins is zeroing in on his pro future. “It’s a lot different than anything I’ve done, but the biggest thing is going to be trying to find a place that fits my basketball needs in terms of the way I play and the style I like to play. The other part is making sure I’m in a good spot for me, I’m in a safe spot. Those European teams there is obviously a little bit of conflict in eastern Europe right now, so trying to stay away from there. I’ve had a lot of interest both overseas and here in the U.S., so I’m sorting through those options.”
In early July Hawkins was a member of the Golden State Warriors roster for three games in the California Classic. “Just the overall energy in that organization was unreal. They came off the NBA Finals win a couple of days before I got out there. You have that buzz around the facility where it’s just a fun energy everywhere you go. Obviously it’s a great organization, they know what they are doing. I got a lot of feedback that week that I was out there with them. I didn’t play as much as I would have liked, but that’s to be expected your rookie season coming out undrafted. They are going to want to focus on their draft picks and the guys from previous years they have a lot of money invested into. It was still a really good learning experience. It was a good preparation for Vegas.”
Hawkins says the main feedback from the Warriors organization was if you’re 6’7″ and can shoot 40% from 3-point range you’ll have a chance to find a place to stick.
From July 7th-17th he suited up for the Toronto Raptors in the Las Vegas Summer League. His best game came in a loss to the Bulls on July 12th when he had 9 points in 11 minutes of play on 3/5 3-point shooting. “I think I proved I was a 40% shooter there. Had a couple games where a couple of shots didn’t fall early, but I kind of tried to stay positive and then I ended up hitting three in a row at the end of a game that kind of opened some eyes. Had a lot of calls the next day. My agent was busy, which is a good problem to have. I think that day really helped me.”
Among the baskets he made in that game was a deep 3-pointer late in the contest that made its rounds on social media. “We were down 12 at the time and it’d hit two before it. I felt like they were from the same spot and I watched the replay and it was from the logo. I probably shouldn’t have taken it, but it went in so we’ll live with it.”
He saw his most minutes in the team’s last game. In an 80-69 decision over the Bucks, Hawkins had 11 points and 9 rebounds in 28 minutes. He shot 4/15 from the field and 3/12 from 3-point range. “I didn’t shoot it great, but I took a lot of open looks and I was aggressive offensively.” Hawkins says, “It was a good experience and I think I proved myself.”
Hawkins admits he did all he could to show teams he is a player worth having. “Practice was a big part of that. There’s so many guys that just check the measurable boxes.” Hawkins explains, “I’m trying to stand out, even if it is just in practice, with my vocal play. Whether it’s defensively, offensively, using my voice to make sure that everyone on the team is organized. Not necessarily trying to be a leader, but trying to be a basketball player making sure that everyone is on the same page. The teamwork side of things is going to be huge for me moving forward.”
Another area of emphasis has been effort. “My intensity. You can cover up a lot of athletic shortcomings just by playing more intense than someone else. If you’re trying harder and you’re competing harder that’s going to show up.”
With so much of his future hinging on the way he played the last few weeks Hawkins says he was stressed about it initially, but quickly had to change his mindset. “I was really stressed going into the first practice with the Golden State Warriors. About five minutes into it I realized how bad I was doing because I was so stressed. I kind of tried to change my mindset to go into it and have fun. Try and make it the most fun that I could have. From then on shots started falling and I started playing a lot better and I had a lot more fun. I think I made a good impression.”
Hawkins explains how shifting his focus from himself to his teammates helped him settle in during his summer league opportunity. “I’ve always been a big believer in the looser you play the better you play and if you’re not having fun you aren’t going to play well. So for me having fun was encouraging my teammates.” Hawkins says, “Start celebrating the success of others and the success of the team as a whole and not your individual performance. I think that’s what it means for me anyway to start having fun. Being a great teammate is fun.” He adds, “It’s not fun when you’re worried about going 2/7 and thinking you need to get ten shots next game. That’s not fun.”
While he doesn’t have a crystal ball, he’s confident he can find a place to play in the United States that fits his desired level of competition. “I want to make sure I find the right fit and if that means sacrificing a little bit of money I’m perfectly okay with that to make sure I’m happy both on and off the floor. I think there are going to be a couple of organizations that reach out in the next couple of days from the U.S. that will pique my interest a little bit. I’m not sure who they are yet or anything, but my agent has still been busy after Vegas, so that’s a good sign for me. If I have to go over to Europe I will. It’s not like that’s the end of the world, but I don’t foresee that happening.”
