I seriously doubt he was the first to hold the ball in 1 hand but he was certainly more adept at it than most and the only one I ever saw who would regularly palm the ball off the dribble. I believe it was the cloud of a gambling scandal (never proved) kept him out of the NBA for so long. Great athlete!SFCityBear said:
Hawkins was a really gifted athlete. Great ball handler, passer, and leaper. He was Dr J before Erving, he was MJ before Jordan, and his hands were so big, he was the first player to hold the ball in one hand. I had a friend who once played with him in Harlem, and he said in between games, Hawkins, at 6-8, would pick quarters off the top of the backboard for money.
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Thanks. You are certainly right, and I should have thought more about the statement in the video that Hawkins was the first to hold the ball in one hand, before I repeated it. Wilt Chamberlain for one, was six years younger and 5 inches taller than Hawkins, and held the ball in one hand often, and made some shots that looked similar to ones that Hawkins made in the video. I've seen a photo where he palmed two balls at once, one in each hand. Hawkins, however, turned that ability into an art form, with all the moves and shots he created around that one skill.59bear said:I seriously doubt he was the first to hold the ball in 1 hand but he was certainly more adept at it than most and the only one I ever saw who would regularly palm the ball off the dribble. I believe it was the cloud of a gambling scandal (never proved) kept him out of the NBA for so long. Great athlete!SFCityBear said:
Hawkins was a really gifted athlete. Great ball handler, passer, and leaper. He was Dr J before Erving, he was MJ before Jordan, and his hands were so big, he was the first player to hold the ball in one hand. I had a friend who once played with him in Harlem, and he said in between games, Hawkins, at 6-8, would pick quarters off the top of the backboard for money.
Enjoy:
