Jordan Hawkins is getting a fresh start in Memphis.
The former UConn standout and national champion was dealt by the New Orleans Pelicans to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday morning, part of a package that also sent Micah Peavy and two second-round picks to Memphis. In return, New Orleans received AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.
For Hawkins, the move gives him a new uniform before the NBA season begins next month, and a new opportunity after an uneven stretch with the Pelicans. He spent his first three professional seasons in New Orleans after going 14th in the 2023 draft, and the production came in waves.
As a rookie, he appeared in 67 games and averaged 7.8 points. He took a step forward in his second season, posting 10.8 points per game in 23.6 minutes across 56 games.
Last season, though, he slipped back, averaging just 5.1 points in 51 games while fighting to stay in the rotation.
The hope for Memphis is that the version of Hawkins that flashed at UConn shows up again. In two seasons in Storrs, he became one of the most dangerous shooters in the program’s recent history, especially as a sophomore.
He averaged 16.2 points per game that year and was a major piece of the Huskies’ 2023 championship run, knocking down 21 of 41 3-pointers during the NCAA Tournament. He had seven games in his UConn career with at least five made 3s, including a six-triple outburst against Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.
Hawkins now lands in a Memphis backcourt that is already crowded. The Grizzlies also have another former UConn national champion in Cam Spencer, who put up 11.1 points and 5.6 assists per game last season. Spencer joins a guard group that includes Scotty Pippen Jr., Cedric Coward, Walter Clayton Jr., Ty Jerome and Javon Small.
That depth means nothing will come easy for Hawkins. But if he can rediscover the shooting touch that made him such a problem at UConn, he could force his way into the mix.
The stint in New Orleans never quite clicked. Memphis offers a different path.
In Other News...
UConn Already Has A Frontcourt Question Worth Watching Closely
UConns frontcourt picture is already shifting toward the future, even with the glow of a run that ended with a second-place Big East finish and a trip to the national title game. As the Huskies look ahead to the 2026-27 season, the path into the middle of the lineup appears likely to open for Na'Jai Hines, the transfer center coming over from Seton Hall to help replace graduated big men Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban.
The interest here is less about what Hines has already done elsewhere and more about how quickly UConn will need him to fit into a program that expects to reload instead of rebuild. With roster turnover looming in the paint, the Huskies have a frontcourt question worth tracking closely, even as the broader athletic department also pauses to remember former baseball player Rollie Sheldon, who died at 89. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Enters A Bigger Test Than UConn With Distractions Building
Maryland heads into its road game at UConn with enough on its plate already, and Michael Locksley has spent the week trying to keep the focus squarely on football. The Huskies present a real challenge, starting with dual-threat quarterback Kalieb Osborne and a coaching staff Locksley says deserves respect. For Maryland, the message has been about defensive discipline, cleaner offensive execution and carrying a so-called Championship Mindset into a tricky away matchup.
The larger backdrop, though, makes this more complicated than a standard nonconference trip. Maryland is still navigating personnel and legal issues while trying to lean on emerging leaders to steady the locker room, and the situation around Teasley remains part of that picture as the program sorts through how to handle it. Against UConn, the football questions are obvious, but so is the off-field weight Maryland is trying to keep from becoming the headline. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Gets An Early Jolt Of Bulletin Board Material For Maryland
Maryland is already leaning into its preparation for UConn, with Mike Locksley saying his team has spent time reviewing the last game, working through recovery and turning the page toward the matchup. He also made clear he expects a lively atmosphere in Storrs, noting the Huskies can count on strong support at home, which is always part of the equation when the opponent is headed north for an early-season test.
The one moment that may stick with UConns staff a little longer came when Locksley briefly referred to the Huskies by their coachs old school before correcting himself at the podium. It was a small slip, but the broader message was more revealing: Locksley said he has a lot of respect for Jason Candle and the program Candle has built, which only adds a little extra edge to a game that already had some intrigue attached to it. [Read more 🡒]