RE: Chris Hawkins?
Since we have so many new guys, I kept preseason notes and quotes on these guys.
I sure don't know his best position with this roster, but personally, I would like to see him play more.
FWIW, here is what others had to say about Hawkins:
CHRIS HAWKINS
6-5, 245 pound bruiser Southwest Tennessee Community College- .
I'm blown away at how good he could be. Athletic as hell, can get any shot, at any time. Strong, plays bigger than his size. Gets to the rim. Doesn't shy away from contact.
Could work on the outside jump shot and needs to improve his ball handling skills.
Chris isn't big enough to play a true 4. I think the power 3 that Jason termed will fit him best. Chris is too athletic to put on the block and lose him there.
“Memphis is getting a kid [Hawkins] that they are probably not even going to know what is coming," said Southwest coach Jerry Nichols. "He presents mismatch problems for everybody, and he’s a freak of nature. He can jump out of the gym. Memphis doesn’t have a player like him. I know this for a fact. I’ve seen him play at full strength, and I promise you that they don’t know what they are getting. That’s how scary he is.”
Hawkins might be the biggest wildcard on the roster, but given his motor and athletic ability, it's hard to envision him not seeing time at the U of M.
played with him a few times and was amazed at his size, power and speed... the guy reminds me of Larry Johnson
He's very talented. He'll help in the backcourt also, that's why his coach said freak & nothing like. He does everything on the court.
Much different player than Geron. Much different. He's a power player with a decent outside shot. The player, to me at least, that he compares to is Anthony Tolbert from back in the early 90s. Undersized power player. Hawkins is at least 6-5 (he says he's 6-6) not that that matters too much and weighs a STRONG 245.
If you aren't familiar with Tolbert, just think of Sylvester Gray. Hawkins compares more to him than Geron.
Just for the record, Dorsey measured 6'6 3/4" at the NBA draft camp. With shoes
He's a big guy. Looks like the kind of thumper we have been missing, even if he is a bit short of the prototype forward. You get the best players you can though, not just the tallest. He can really ball and he is not a kid.
70% from the floor last year [0-2 from 3 pt line-only played 14-15 games]
Personal opinion after seeing him play, live, several times. He's a guy who dominated the paint at the jc level with strength, hops and athletic ability. Gets to the rim at will at that level. Can shoot from the outside and has great form and lift from out there. That's just a bonus though as he is a strong, strong post player. He's an extremely explosive guy at 245-250 lbs. Don't know that we've had anyone similar in a while. Maybe Sylvester but this kid is a bit more polished. Sylvester was strictly a 4, IMO and one of the most gifted athletes ever here.
He is 21 years old. Pretty much the bones have capped off at that age and have stopped growing. He is listed as 6'4" to 6'6" depending on which source you decide is correct, and 240/245 lbs. Hard to imagine a NBA team wanting a player so undersized. He is aggressive on defense, he rebounds like he is much taller, he has quick feet, and he is very strong. He jumps like a cat so his weight is not a concern. Decent shooter, but his real game is going hard to the bucket. The only things he needs to work on to make the transition to D1 is to work on posting up and conditioning
Seen the young man play multiple times now. His game reminds me a little of PJ Tucker from Texas years back. More of a "power" 3 with a tremendous mid range game. He seems to have a knack for being in the right places at the right time. Great rebounder and leaper (quick second hops).
I don't know how much he plays the 3, 4, etc. All I know is he's a helluva player that you want out on the floor. He's 6-5 at best so he'll have to improve on ball handling and outside shooting. However, he's certain to bring toughness which has been lacking a little the last few years. He'd be perfect for Cincy had he not committed to us.
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