ORLANDO – Former UCF men's basketball star Aubrey Dawkins, who was with the Knights from 2016-19, is joining the Washington Wizards as a member of their official Summer League roster, the organization announced on Wednesday.
The Wizards will play in four games from August 8-15, at Cox Pavilion or Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Following the first four games, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the Championship Game on August 17 at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. The 28 teams that do not play in the Championship Game will play a fifth game on either August 16 or August 17 (timing to be determined).
The team's first game will be on Sunday, August 8, when they take on the Indiana Pacers. The game can be seen on NBA TV.
Dawkins to D.C. ??
— UCF Men's Hoops (@UCF_MBB) August 5, 2021
Aub will play in the NBA summer league with the @WashWizards #ChargeOn ? #BuiltByUCF pic.twitter.com/RHkiAFUJv6
After sitting out a year due to transfer rules when coming over from Michigan, Dawkins missed a second year due to a shoulder injury before finally suiting up in a game for the Knights in their historic 2018-19 season. Following his time with UCF, Dawkins signed a free agent deal with the New Orleans Pelicans shortly after the 2019 NBA Draft.
After playing in the Summer League with the Pelicans in 2019, Dawkins went on to play with the Pelicans' G-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, for the 2019-20 season. In 37 games played with the BayHawks, Dawkins averaged 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. His .612 field goal percentage from within the three-point line was tied for the second highest mark on the team.
In 2020, Dawkins signed with BG Göttingen of the Basketball Bundesliga. In 33 games played, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, an assist per game, and shot an efficient 45.9% from beyond the arc, the highest of his career.
Dawkins made an impact in just one season on the court for UCF in 2018-19, helping to guide the Knights to their first ever at-large NCAA Tournament bid. The 6-foot-6 guard was named Second Team All-Conference in The American after averaging 15.6 points per game, while also grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game, totaling 34 steals, and leading UCF with a 40.0 three-point percentage on 73 attempts.
Dawkins' biggest moment came on the biggest stage, a 32-point blistering of no. 1 Duke in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. He went 12-for-18 from the floor, 5-for-7 from three-point range, dished out four assists and had three steals, as the Knights narrowly missed out on upsetting the Blue Devils.
Hear more from Dawkins on his recent experiences below...
Dawkins: It Feels Like Just Yesterday…
"It feels like just yesterday that I was [at UCF]. I haven't been gone that long, but it's nice to come back and work out here. It's home. I like seeing the guys and remembering when I was out here in their shoes doing the same things. It's good to see."
It's About Coming Together…
"The sky is always the limit. Basketball is a team sport so it's about what you are willing to do and what you are willing to commit to each other. You'll never win playing as an individual. So, for [the 2021-22 team], it's about coming together. If you have a team that's full of individual talent, but you don't play together, you won't win very many games. But, if you can come together and become a cohesive unit, and no longer play for yourself but for that next guy, then you can be as good as you want to be. I think that's the case for this team. It's all about putting it together, pushing each other in practice and making the most of it. Whatever role or position you have, you need to try and be dominant at that position, because there is always competition for your spot."
Hold Yourself Accountable…
"It's a business once you leave college, and you become your own business in a way too. You have to take care of your body, take care of your recovery, and really hold yourself accountable. It's paramount to your career because nobody is going to baby you anymore. They won't tell you what you need to work on or tell you to stretch or ice. You have to do all of that on your own. You have to help yourself and prioritize your career, because if you aren't doing your job, somebody else will."
It was Awesome to Help Set UCF Down This Path We Are on Now…
"Making it to the NCAA Tournament and playing in March Madness was probably my favorite memory from my time at UCF. It's so exciting to be a part of something that is starting to flourish and blossom. For a team that had never really seen that kind of success in the past, it was awesome to be a part of it and help set UCF down this path we are on now."
Look at Who I've Been Watching My Whole Life…
"I don't see myself really ever getting into coaching, but at the same time, look at who I've been watching my whole life. At the same time, my dad said the same thing when he was my age, and now look at him. So, I can't tell you for certain how I'll feel at 32 or 33, but as of right now, I definitely don't see myself getting into coaching."