Howard University sophomore point guard Elijah Hawkins, who helped lead the Bison to their first NCAA men’s basketball tournament appearance in 31 years, announced his intention to enter the transfer portal Monday night.
In a statement released on his personal Twitter page, Hawkins said, “First, I want to thank God for blessing me with the talent and ability to play the sport I love. Next, I want to thank Howard University for giving me a chance to grow as a student-athlete and be a part of a history-making team over the last two years. I especially want to thank Coach Kenny Blakeney and his staff for giving me a chance a pushing me to be the best player I can be. I’m grateful and blessed for the love I’ve received from the HU community.”
Thank you HU!❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/mkyxVsMymt
— Elijah Hawkins 3 (@eslimee_) April 10, 2023
Hawkins, a DC native who attended DMV prep powerhouse DeMatha Catholic, started 55 of the 59 games he played for Howard, averaging 12.9 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game.
He also led the team in steals in each of his two seasons with the Bison. This past season, in which Howard finished 22-13 with a MEAC championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament, Hawkins was the Bison’s leader in three-point shooting accuracy, making 46.6 percent (54 of 116) of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Is this a good or bad thing for the Howard Program?