Dominique Hawkins to play summer league with Sacramento Kings

Fletcher Page | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Kentucky players going to the NBA Three Kentucky players were picked in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft. Four UK players signed to play in the summer league.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Dominique Hawkins will play basketball professionally in Las Vegas this summer.

After not hearing his name called in Thursday's NBA draft, Hawkins agreed to a summer league deal with the Sacramento Kings, according to his high school coach Allen Feldhaus Jr.

Hawkins averaged 4.7 points, 1.7 assists and 1.6 rebounds as the senior sixth man for Kentucky last season. He was named an All-Southeastern Conference Tournament performer and scored in double figures in Kentucky's Sweet 16 win against UCLA and Elite Eight loss to North Carolina.

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On numerous occasions late in the season, Kentucky coach John Calipari referred to Hawkins as "Old Reliable."

“It’s almost like you’re waiting to put him in the game, like something has to happen so you can hurry up and put him in,” Calipari said.

The Kings will field a team in Las Vegas from July 7-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Sacramento drafted former Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox with the fifth overall pick Thursday. Former Wildcats Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissière are on the Kings roster.

The Charlotte Hornets selected Malik Monk 11th overall, while the Miami Heat picked Bam Adebayo at No. 14.

Three other former Kentucky players signed summer league deals. Guard Isaiah Briscoe signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, Derek Willis with the Detroit Pistons and Isaac Humphries with the Washington Wizards.

Hawkins, at 6-foot, 190 pounds, proved through testing in October to be the best athlete on Kentucky's roster. His max vertical jump reached the same 44.5-inch mark that almost pushed Hamidou Diallo into the NBA draft, and he had the most 185-pound bench press reps (16) on the team. Hawkins hit 12 of his 17 shots in the NCAA Tournament, including 11 of 15 3-pointers.

Those measurables led to interest from NFL teams. Reps from the Chicago Bears showed at the Los Angeles Lakers training facility when Hawkins was there working out. His former high school football coach, Bert Browne insists Hawkins could make it as an NFL safety.

For now, he'll fight for a spot on a basketball team in Vegas.