Spencer Hawes: 'It was a point of pride to play 82 games'

Spencer Hawes, the 10th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, was nicknamed Baby Calf in high school and built a reputation as a floor-spacing big man during his decade-long career. Standing at seven feet, Hawes became known for his unique combination of size and shooting ability, making him one of the few players to embody this skill set in an era before the modern stretch big became widely popular.

Hawes began his career with the Sacramento Kings, appearing in 220 games before later stints with the 76ers, Clippers, and Hornets – his most productive years coming in Philadelphia, where he helped the team reach the Conference semifinals in the 2012 playoffs.

In a chat with HoopsHype, Hawes reflected on his NBA journey, how he adapted his game to the evolving league, stories about the teammates he played with, his thoughts on being one of the early floor-spacing bigs in the modern NBA, and more.