Robert Hawkins

Robert L. "Bubbles" Hawkins (June 30, 1954 – November 28, 1993) was an American professional basketball player. He was drafted 51st overall in the 1975 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Hawkins played for four teams during four seasons in the National Basketball Association, averaging 12.7 points per game, 1.5 assists per game and 2.3 rebounds per game. They had two children. The Nets had been left short at the guard position following the sale of superstar Julius Erving due to financial difficulties. Hawkins quickly became the closest thing the Nets had to a star, averaging 19.3 points per game and leading Nets head coach Kevin Loughery to remark "All I know is that Bubbles Hawkins has become a hero just when we needed one." That year, on February 7, 1977, Hawkins scored a career best 44 points in a 93–89 win over the New Orleans Jazz. During the festivities of the 1977 NBA All-Star Game, Hawkins faced and lost to Pete Maravich in the first round of an NBA-sanctioned game of horse as part of a televised tournament.

However, Hawkins' NBA prominence would be relatively short lived, and Loughery's high opinion of Hawkins was not extended to the 1977–78 season, with the Nets now playing in New Jersey. Hawkins would play in only 15 games for the Nets that season, before being released after a series of conflicts with the coach. Hawkins would get one more chance in the NBA, signing before the 1978–79 season with the Detroit Pistons, but only appeared in four of the team's first nine games before again being released.

Death On November 28, 1993, Hawkins was found shot to death in what police said was a suspected crack house in Detroit. No arrests were ever made.

Career statistics

NBA Source

Regular season Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Playoffs Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG