Larry Schweikart
Veteran
Around 1969 or 1970, I was at a PHX game at the Coliseum. That was when the Suns had the Hawk, Connie Hawkins. He made what I think is the greatest basketball play ever, even over the dunks by MJ and Dr. J.
Someone's shot hit the rim and bounced way long. It hit once inbounds and was bouncing out of bounds on the side of the court. Suddenly, as the ball dropped to no more than a few inches off the out of bounds area, Hawk appeared out of nowhere. He had one foot in bounds, and reached all the way out of bounds with one giant hand to grab the ball before it hit the floo out of bounds. Like an NFL wide receiver dragging his toes, Hawk hovered there frozen, one leg up in the air for balance, holding the ball three inches form the floor out of bounds . . . then in one astonishing motion, fired it one handed all the way down the court to a streaking Suns player for a layup.
You could hear a pin drop for that second or two seconds that he hung there. Dead quiet.
Someone's shot hit the rim and bounced way long. It hit once inbounds and was bouncing out of bounds on the side of the court. Suddenly, as the ball dropped to no more than a few inches off the out of bounds area, Hawk appeared out of nowhere. He had one foot in bounds, and reached all the way out of bounds with one giant hand to grab the ball before it hit the floo out of bounds. Like an NFL wide receiver dragging his toes, Hawk hovered there frozen, one leg up in the air for balance, holding the ball three inches form the floor out of bounds . . . then in one astonishing motion, fired it one handed all the way down the court to a streaking Suns player for a layup.
You could hear a pin drop for that second or two seconds that he hung there. Dead quiet.
