Education
California State University, Long Beach.
California State University, Long Beach.
He played with the Houston Rockets during the 2002-2003 National Basketball Association season. Professional Basketball After going undrafted in the 1996 National Basketball Association Draft, he signed a free agent contract to play with Kobe Bryant, Nick Van Exel, Shaquille O"Neal on the Los Angeles Lakers. He was one of the last cut from the final roster.
After that, he played for the Hung Fu Rams in Taiwan and the Long Island Surf of the United States Basketball League.
He played with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 1998 National Basketball Association preseason and was the last player cut. He then played with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1998 and 1999.
After that, he played with the Fort Wayne Fury of the Continental Basketball Association along with future Rockets teammate Moochie Norris. After that, he played with the Southern California Surf of the American Bar Association. In 2000-2001, he played for Toyota Alvark in Japan.
Finally, during the 2002-2003 season, he made the Houston Rockets as the second oldest rookie in the National Basketball Association during that time.
He even started 10 games that year. After that year he went to veteran camps with the Golden State Warriors and was cut after a few games. He then played in Japan, and in 2008, he helped the Gold Coast Blaze reach the playoffs in their inaugural season before being sidelined with an illness.
He had a stroke after which some doctors thought he would never play again.
Other former National Basketball Association players Toby Bailey, Byron Russell, Darrick Martin and Lamond Murray were a part of this team Hawkins signed with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association on September 30, 2002.
On November 22, 2002, he put up career highs with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists against the Washington Wizards. He suited up all 82 games for the Rockets as they missed the playoffs by one game.
Hawkins has co-written a book about his life, called Stroke of Grace, regarding his journey to the National Basketball Association and his experience suffering a devastating stroke.