1969–70 Phoenix Suns season: Difference between revisions

Despite losing the number one draft pick to the Bucks, the Suns would win another significant coin flip. The Suns bested the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] for the rights to [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] star [[Connie Hawkins]]. In his freshman year with [[Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball|Iowa]], Hawkins was implicated, without evidence, in a [[point shaving]] scandal, which led to his expulsion from the university. While eligible, Hawkins went undrafted in the [[1964 NBA draft|1964]], [[1965 NBA draft|1965]] and [[1966 NBA draft]]s, before being officially barred from the league.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/classic/s/addhawkinsconnie.html |title=Layups: More Info on Connie Hawkins |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=ESPN.go.com }}</ref> Hawkins would star in the upstart [[American Basketball League (1961–63)|American Basketball League]] (ABL), winning the Most Valuable Player Award in the ABL's inaugural 1961–62 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/hawkins_summary.html |title=NBA.com: Connie Hawkins Summary |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=NBA}}</ref> Hawkins would then spend four years with the [[Harlem Globetrotters]], before joining the [[Pittsburgh Pipers]] of the upstart [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) in 1967. Hawkins led the league in scoring, while leading the Pipers to the first ABA championship, and receiving the ABA's first Most Valuable Player Award in 1968.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/tributematerial/hawkins.html |title=Remember the ABA: Connie Hawkins |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=RemembertheABA.com }}</ref> In 1966, Hawkins' attorneys filed a $6 million anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA. In 1969, a [[Time (magazine)|Time Magazine]] article absolved Hawkins from involvement in the point shaving scandal, leading the NBA to pay a $1.3 million settlement and allow Hawkins into the league.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vegasbettinglines.com/Connie-Hawkins-Biography_A1032.html |title=Connie Hawkins Biography |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=vegasbettinglines.com }}</ref> "The Hawk" would become the Suns first official star, making the [[All-NBA First Team]] in 1970, and appearing in four consecutive All-Star Games. On November 19, 1976, Hawkins became the first player in Suns franchise history to have his number retired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://origin.nba.com/suns/fastbreak/starting_five.html |title=SUNS: The Starting Five |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=NBA.com/Suns }}</ref> On September 11, 1969, the Suns waived [[swingman]] [[Bob Warlick]]. Warlick would sign as a free agent with the [[Los Angeles Stars]] of the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/warlibo01.html |title=Bob Warlick NBA & ABA Statistics |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com }}</ref> On October 1, 1969, [[Dave Lattin|Dave "Big Daddy D" Lattin]] was waived. Lattin would later sign with the [[Pittsburgh Condors]] of the ABA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lattida01.html |title=Dave Lattin NBA & ABA Statistics |accessdate=January 19, 2012 |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com }}</ref>