Suns All-Decade Teams Part One

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MILWAUKEE – 1972: Connie Hawkins #42 of the Phoenix Suns dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1972 season at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1972 NBAE (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images)

Starter: Connie Hawkins

Basketball Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins played a total of four full season with the Suns from 1969-73. Although he played professional basketball prior to joining the NBA in 1969 where he had prior been unfairly blacklisted due to a college point shaving incident that he had no role in.

As the Suns’ first undisputed superstar, he averaged 20.5 PPG, 4.3 APG and 9 RPG while shooting 47% from the field in four very productive seasons. In his first season with the Suns he was a beast averaging 24.6 PPG, 4.8 APG and 10.4 RPG and shot 49% from the field while helping to lead the Suns to the Western Conference Semifinals where they would ultimately be outed by a Lakers in a seven-game series. He also made the all-star team each year he played for Phoenix and is the first player in franchise history to have his number retired, while also an induction in the Hall of Fame with the class of 1992.