| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 22, 1936 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | August 16, 2017 (aged 80) Malibu, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Parker (Chicago, Illinois) |
| College | Notre Dame (1956–1959) |
| NBA draft | 1959: 1st round, 3rd overall pick |
| Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1959–1969 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 20, 19, 33 |
| Career history | |
| 1959–1962 | Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1962–1966 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1966–1969 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,672 (8.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,607 (6.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 871 (1.1 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Thomas Jerome Hawkins (December 22, 1936 – August 16, 2017) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6'5" (1.96 m) forward, Hawkins starred at Chicago's Parker (now Robeson) High School before playing at the University of Notre Dame, where he became the school's first African-American basketball star.[1] He was then selected by the Minneapolis (later Los Angeles) Lakers in the first round of the 1959 NBA draft, and he would have a productive ten-year career in the league, playing for the Lakers as well as the Cincinnati Royals as he registered 6,672 career points and 4,607 career rebounds.[2]
Hawkins later worked in radio and television broadcasting in Los Angeles and served as vice president of communications for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.[1]
Hawkins died in his home in Malibu, California on August 16, 2017.[3]